Judge dismisses lawsuit seeking to disqualify Hamtramck mayoral hopeful
An investigative report concluding that one candidate in Hamtramck's heavily contested mayoral election lives in another city does not preclude him from seeking office in Hamtramck, a judge has decided.
The decision by Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Patricia Fresard leaves open a chance for Muhith Mahmood to make up his 11-vote margin of defeat to mayor-elect Adam Alharbi. Mahmood's attorney has made an emergency appeal asking the Michigan Supreme Court to overturn a court decision to not count 37 contested ballots that could change the election's outcome.
Alharbi filed suit Nov. 10, alleging that his opponent doesn't live in Hamtramck and therefore isn't eligible to hold office in the city. The lawsuit cited an April 2025 report by a private investigative firm that concluded that Mahmood, who currently serves on the City Council, actually resides in the city of Troy.
Mahmood claims that while his wife and daughter do live in Troy, and that he regularly spends time there, he eats, sleeps and spends the majority of his time in Hamtramck.
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/wayne-county/2025/12/30/judge-dismisses-lawsuit-seeking-to-disqualify-hamtramck-mayoral-hopeful/87965110007/