HAMTRAMCK, Mich. (WXYZ) — Former city councilman Muhith Mahmood was sworn in as Hamtramck's new mayor Sunday afternoon, capping a nearly year-long legal battle over absentee ballots that reversed the outcome of the election.
"Whole city is happy that, you know, we build the truth and we bring the justice back to the city," Mahmood said.
The saga dates back to last year, when Mahmood lost the mayoral race to Adam Alharbi by just 11 votes. A day later, 37 overlooked absentee ballots were found in the city clerk's office. That kicked off a nearly year-long legal fight over whether they should count.
Last month's court order resulted in the 37 ballots finally being reviewed. Two were disqualified, leaving 35 to be counted. Thirty went to Mahmood, turning an 11-vote loss into a 12-vote win.
The results were certified last Wednesday.
Watch Faraz Javed's video report below:
"We should have admit the result of the election now," Mahmood said.
When I asked Mahmood what he would like to see happen first in the city of Hamtramck, he pointed to unity.
"United. We need to all (be) united, work together into a small city. There's no room for division. We all have to stick together and work hard for the community," Mahmood said.
But Adam Alharbi's attorney, Nabih Ayad, says this story isn't over.
"What's happening today is technically illegal," Ayad said.
When I asked why, Ayad pointed to the process for removing a sitting mayor.
"There's a process for removing an existing certified mayor, and it's called the complaint for Cora Rento. So now technically what you have, you have two certified mayors in the city of Hamtramck," Ayad said.
Interim City Manager Syed Amer Ahsan disagrees. When I asked whether all the legal requirements have been met to make this transition of power, he said they have.
"Right now, yes," Ahsan said.
City officials say Alharbi emptied out the mayor's office Friday. But Alharbi's attorney says that means nothing. When I asked about his next step, Ayad said the fight is continuing.
"Oh, it's far from over. He doesn't want to interrupt the process. He'll wait for the legal channels to take its course. We feel very strongly at the end of the day. We'll succeed on this because we feel there's clear fraud and the absentee ballots as well that have not been counted properly," Ayad said.
In the meantime, Hamtramck residents who attended the ceremony say they are proud of Mahmood being the city's first Bengali American mayor.
"I would say it's a historic day," Hamtramck resident Forhad Ahmad said.
"He's wonderful," Hamtramck resident Soiad Rez said.
Ahsan said the community now needs to move forward.
"All the controversy and everything that has been there in the past, we now need to put to bed and move forward on him," Ahsan said.
When I asked Ahsan whether this could be reversed, with Alharbi returning as mayor, he said it was unlikely.
"I cannot say for sure no, but probably unlikely," Ahsan said.
Mahmood had a message for Alharbi.
"I am thanking him for whatever he did, his one year, and I asked him, I recused him, let's go get along, work together, build the city. You know, one election is not over, then one big election is going to come," Mahmood said.
Alharbi's legal team will be appealing two things: Mahmood's residency, as well as a recount of those ballots. No dates have been set yet.
The interim city manager has confirmed that starting Monday, Mahmood will be moving into the mayor's office.
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