HAMTRAMCK, Mich. (WXYZ) — The Wayne County Board of Canvassers certified Adam Alharbi as Hamtramck's next mayor today, ending one of the city's closest mayoral races in years with just a 6-vote victory margin.
Watch Faraz Javed's video report:
The certification came after a contentious meeting where 37 disputed absentee ballots remained uncounted due to a deadlocked vote by the board. The ballots were discovered days after the election inside the city clerk's office.
"Considering all the things that are going on, we're still a win is a win," Alharbi said.
The engineer's opponent in the race, City Councilman Muhith Mahmood, saw his deficit narrow from 11 votes on election night to just 6 votes, but may have been blocked from a potential comeback when the disputed ballots were ruled out.
"They should have counted the 37 votes. People voted for their choice," said Mahmood, who indicated he may appeal the results after consulting with his attorney and supporters back in Hamtramck.
City clerk placed on leave
City Clerk Rana Faraj, who was placed on paid administrative leave last week, testified to the board via Zoom that a deputy clerk realized some ballots had been missed while processing materials.
PREVIOUS REPORT: Hamtramck city clerk explains missing absentee ballots to board of canvassers
An email exchange between the Hamtramck city manager and Faraj shows the leave is precautionary and not a finding of wrongdoing.
"I personally don't think that the city clerk has done anything wrong. I think she's been ethical and utmost and open," said Alharbi's attorney Nabih Ayad.
Ayad said his team filed a complaint with the FBI over the weekend, calling the situation "an embarrassment to the community of the city of Hamtramck."
"The election might be over, but our fight against voter fraud and ballot harvesting is not," Alharbi said.
Residents seek unity
The political turmoil has frustrated some longtime residents in the diverse city, where the majority of the population is Arab, Bengali, and Polish.
Nur Samad, a 5-year Hamtramck resident, said he has witnessed significant changes through two mayoral elections and hopes for unity among the community's different ethnic groups.
Joan Bittner, who owns the Polish Art Center and has lived in Hamtramck for 52 years, remains hopeful for the city's future.
"I'd like to see a mayor who's connected with the people, who listens to what we have to say and will address any issues. And I think that we'll end up with that," Bittner said.
Legal challenges ahead
While the board's certification makes Alharbi the mayor-elect, potential legal challenges and investigations could shadow the Yemeni American's victory. His Bengali American opponent may request a recount, and Ayad says he is moving forward with a lawsuit against the city of Hamtramck, its clerk, Wayne County, and the opponent.
The Secretary of State and the Attorney General's office, which have investigative authority, are aware of the concerns raised about the election.
———————————————
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
