Hamtramck’s race for mayor is over—for now.  The Wayne County Board of Canvassers has certified the results of this month’s contest. 

Adam Alharbi has won the election for mayor by just six votes.  The outcome of the contest was controversial, with more than three dozen ballots thrown out after they were found in the office of City Clerk Rana Faraj. 

Losing candidate Muhith Mahmood tells WDET that he will ask for a recount.  He says the 37 ballots should not have been ignored. “Canvassers denied a legitimate 37 votes.  That is concerning, because this is not the 37 people who made a mistake.  Since the race is so close to each other, they could find a way to count this ballot.”   

Incumbent Hamtramck Mayor Amer Ghalib did not seek re-election.  He was nominated by President Trump to become the next U.S. Ambassador to Kuwait. 

Additional headlines from Wednesday, November 19, 2025

Dearborn protests 

Anti-Islamic protesters clashed with Dearborn residents Tuesday. 

Michigan Republican gubernatorial candidate Anthony Hudson initiated the protests after he called for an end to Sharia law governing Dearborn – even though there is no Sharia law governing Dearborn.  He has since backtracked on this statement.

Muslim residents came out to stand up against anti-Islamic sentiments.  Shouts were exchanged and in some cases there was shoving.   One man reportedly tried to set a Quran on fire. 

At a City Council meeting Tuesday evening, Mayor Abdullah Hammound said there’s room for all faiths to live together peacefully in Dearborn. 

Belle Isle Zoo demolition 

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is tearing down the remains of the Belle Isle Zoo. 

The zoo was closed in 2002 when the city of Detroit decided it was too costly to operate.  Animal enclosures and other buildings at the site have been empty since then. 

They’ve been overgrown by weeds and vines.  Officials say the remaining structures posed a danger.  The DNR says most of the site will be returned to nature, although some parking spaces for other island attractions will be placed there. 

Muirhead retires 

Long-time public relations expert Georgella Muirhead is retiring.  She currently works at the 98Forward PR firm.  But she worked for years in the administrations of Mayors Coleman Young and Dennis Archer, helping to get their priorities out to the public. 

She left her government office in the late 90s to begin the public relations firm Berg, Muirhead and Associates with famed Coleman Young spokesperson Bob Berg.  They sold the firm in 2016.  Good luck in your retirement, Georgella! 

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Muhith Mahmood said he is filing a recount after yesterday’s official election results deemed Adam Alharbi the winner of the Hamtramck mayoral election by only 6 votes. 

The results came two weeks after election day because 120 absentee ballots had to wait on signatures and other small fixes before being counted. 

An additional 37 votes from absentee ballots were excluded from the official count after they were found improperly stored in City Clerk Rana Faraj’s office. 

Faraj was suspended and is now under investigation. 

Mahmood said he isn’t upset by the election results. He said someone has to lose. 

“That’s just what democracy should be,” Mahmood said. “But the way canvassers denied or rejected 37 votes, that is concerning…I think that was not the right thing to do.” 

Mahmood told WDET he is filing for a recount. 

Alharbi told WDET that he’s glad the election is over. He also said he plans on contacting the FBI and DOJ to help remedy the continuous legal issues in the city elections. 

“I plan to bring awareness to people that have that language barrier and tell them not to give out their empty ballot to any candidate or any person,” Alharbi said. “I’m just gonna try to find any way possible to fight voter fraud and ballot harvesting.” 

Alharbi sued Mahmood after the election claiming he doesn’t live in Hamtramck and is ineligible to run for Mayor. 

He also filed for a restraining order that would have prevented the Wayne County Board of Canvassers from certifying Mahmood as the winner. 

On Monday, a judge denied the temporary hold on announcing the election results. 

Mahmood said he does live in Hamtramck. 

Alharbi said he will continue his suit against Mahmood—for now.