HAMTRAMCK, Mich. – Adam Alharbi was sworn in as Hamtramck’s mayor on Sunday at the city’s public library.
“I am feeling good. I believe we have a new chapter in Hamtramck and we’re going to try to work hard to make our city better. There’s so much potential for our city and I am excited,” Alharbi said in a one-on-one interview with Local 4, moments before being sworn in.
The ceremony came amid an ongoing legal battle to have more ballots counted and included in the election results.
The Sunday ceremony was open to the public and three councilmen were also sworn in. Abu Mussa, Nayeem Choudhury and Yousuf Saed took their oath following Alharbi,
The journey here has been long, and in many ways, is still ongoing.
In early December, Alharbi won a recount of the vote, beating his competitor, Muhith Mahmood, by a very slim margin.
Mahmood is fighting for 37 uncounted absentee ballots, found in the city’s clerk’s office, to be included in the count, saying they could change the election results.
He filed an emergency appeal with the Michigan Supreme Court. That appeal is still pending.
Local 4 spoke to the now former mayor, Amer Ghalib, on Sunday, and asked him about the ongoing legal battle.
“I think that was due to some unfortunate mistakes,” he said.
For more information on the ongoing issues facing the Hamtramck election, click here.