Voters in Hamtramck and Dearborn Heights have chosen fresh candidates to contest for the mayoral role in the upcoming November election.
In the cities of Hamtramck and Dearborn Heights, politics have been making headlines for different reasons. While Hamtramck has been grappling with controversies surrounding elected officials' residency and legal scrutiny, Dearborn Heights' primary election was free from such drama.
In Hamtramck, the primary election held on August 5, 2025, saw Adam Alharbi and Muhith Mahmood emerge as winners. They will face off in the November general election to determine the city's new mayor following Amer Ghalib's appointment as the U.S. ambassador to Kuwait. Muhith Mahmood, who was born in Yemen and became the first Arab American and Muslim mayor of Hamtramck in 2021, has recently been at the center of controversy due to questions about his residence. A private investigator presented evidence at a city council meeting showing Mahmood allegedly lives in Troy, but he argued that he has a second home in the city. Despite these concerns, the council voted against removing him.
Mahmood was also named in a lawsuit filed in June by City Manager Max Garbarino and Special Investigator David Adamczyk, alleging corruption and violations of the Michigan Whistleblower Protection Act and Open Meetings Act. Other council members, Mayor Amer Ghalib, and Police Chief Jamiel Altaheri were also named in the lawsuit.
In contrast, Dearborn Heights' primary election was uneventful. City Council Chairman Mo Baydoun and Denise Malinowski-Maxwell emerged as winners and will face off in the November general election to determine the city's new mayor following Bill Bazzi's appointment as the U.S. ambassador to Tunisia. Bazzi, who has been in office since 2021, stepped down after his appointment.
This situation underscores ongoing governance challenges in Hamtramck, where questions about elected officials' residency and legal scrutiny continue to dominate the political landscape. Meanwhile, Dearborn Heights' primary election proceeded smoothly, with no reported controversies.
| City | Primary Winners | Key Controversies | |----------------|--------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------| | Hamtramck | Adam Alharbi, Muhith Mahmood | Residency disputes (Mahmood and Abu Musa), Mahmood named in a lawsuit alleging corruption | | Dearborn Heights | Mo Baydoun, Denise Malinowski-Maxwell | No reported controversies in the primary |
As the November general elections approach, the cities of Hamtramck and Dearborn Heights will decide their new leaders, with the winners set to succeed Amer Ghalib and Bill Bazzi, respectively.
The upcoming general elections in Hamtramck, amidst ongoing controversies surrounding the residency of Muhith Mahmood and allegations of corruption, promise to be a time of intense political scrutiny. The court case involving Mahmood, City Manager Max Garbarino, Special Investigator David Adamczyk, and other council members is a concerning development in Hamtramck's political landscape.
Meanwhile, the general elections in Dearborn Heights, free from such controversies, are shaping up to be more straightforward, with Mo Baydoun and Denise Malinowski-Maxwell facing off to succeed Bill Bazzi as the city's mayor.
This stark contrast between the two cities highlights the distinct challenges in governance that Hamtramck is currently facing, while Dearborn Heights appears to be managing its affairs more smoothly.
The outcome of these elections will be closely watched, as they determine the next chapter in the political and administrative trajectories of Hamtramck and Dearborn Heights.
