The mayoral election in Hamtramck, Michigan, has seen its outcome reversed following a court-ordered recount, leaving the city without a confirmed elected leader while a judge determines the eligibility of the apparent winner. A recount conducted on October 16 revealed that incumbent Mayor Adam Alharbi, who has served as mayor since January, did not win the election, as previously certified. Instead, mayoral candidate Muhith Mahmood now leads by 12 votes.
The future leadership of the two-square-mile city now rests with the court, potentially concluding a year-long legal dispute. Wayne County Judge Kathleen McCarthy ordered the recount as part of a civil court case filed by Mahmood against Alharbi, seeking the tabulation of ballots.
Following the October 16 recount, Wayne County spokesperson Dorian Tyus confirmed that Judge McCarthy has ordered the Board of Canvassers not to certify the new results. This hold is in place until an October 22 hearing concludes on a separate case challenging Mahmood's eligibility to serve as Hamtramck’s mayor. Tyus stated that “the implications and legal issues regarding residency is in the purview of the court, which will decide whether residency requirements were met, etc.”
Mayor Alharbi commented in a Friday video after the recount that "the battle is not over yet," indicating further recount challenges and a residency counterclaim that the canvassers still need to address. Mahmood briefly spoke after the meeting, thanking voters for their support and stating he awaits the next steps in his lawsuit, as well as the separate challenge regarding his residency. Mahmood previously served on the Hamtramck city council.
Michigan's election process includes county boards of canvassers across the state responsible for reviewing vote totals, verifying election results, and handling recounts, according to the Secretary of State’s office. Their findings are then forwarded to the Board of State Canvassers and other election officials for final certification. Neither Alharbi nor Mahmood responded to requests for comment on the ongoing situation.
This legal battle stems from the original election, which Alharbi won with 2,066 votes, just six votes more than Mahmood. Certified results indicated that 30.6% of the city’s registered voters participated. Alharbi had initially requested the county to reject 37 ballots back in November 2025, claiming that their acceptance would lead to “catastrophic security breaches and violations of Michigan Election Law.” He contended that these ballots were exposed and could have been altered without the city clerk's knowledge. According to Votebeat, the county’s board of canvassers initially did not tabulate these ballots because it could not reach a majority vote to count them.
A previous recount was conducted by the Wayne County Board of Canvassers in December. That recount showed Alharbi received five additional votes, while Lynette Marie Blasey lost four votes. Mahmood’s vote total remained unchanged in that instance.
Beyond the vote count, a significant question revolves around Mahmood's legal eligibility to hold the mayoral office. Alharbi has publicly raised concerns about Mahmood’s residency, alleging that he resides in Macomb County, which borders Wayne County to the northeast. In an October 10 Facebook post, Alharbi noted that he oversaw the Hamtramck city council's adoption of an ordinance specifically targeting residency requirements for politicians. He stated, “I made sure we passed a strict residency resolution requiring candidates to sign a sworn oath proving where they actually live, how many days a week they sleep there, where their family lives, and backing it up with utility bills and tax records instead of just showing a driver’s license.” Alharbi also repeated claims and accusations regarding vote changes in Hamtramck’s election and voters using erasable pens. Mahmood, however, stated in a Friday press conference that he has submitted all necessary documents to prove his residency in Hamtramck for the past six years.
