HAMTRAMCK, Mich. – Hamtramck Mayor Adam Alharbi is renewing calls for changes to the city’s election procedures after officials discovered yet another uncounted ballot from the November 2025 election, bringing the total number of ballots found after the election to 38.
Alharbi said Friday (June 26), the latest ballot was discovered by a city employee in a storage area inside the clerk’s office.
He said the ballot appeared to have been opened and was turned over to Wayne County officials.
“One of our employees went into the storage in the clerk’s office, and they discovered the ballot that was open,” Alharbi said. “It seems like it’s from the last election, and it’s been sent to Wayne County.”
Another ballot, more questions
City Clerk Sami Elhady confirmed the find.
“I can confirm that a ballot from the Nov. 4, 2025, General Election was discovered in the City Clerk’s Office,” Elhady said. “The ballot has been secured, and the matter has been referred to the appropriate election authorities.”
City Attorney Odey Meroueh said the matter is being handled carefully.
“During a review of records from the prior election, an additional ballot was identified, and it’s being handled with due care and diligence,” Meroueh said. “Because there’s a related matter still pending, the count itself goes to the Wayne County Board of Canvassers, which is where it belongs. My job is to make sure Hamtramck has a process residents can trust moving forward, and that’s what we’re focused on.”
The Wayne County Clerk’s Office confirmed it received notice of the ballots from Hamtramck officials.
The discovery comes as the city remains embroiled in a legal dispute over 37 absentee ballots previously discovered that were not counted after the election.
Alharbi questioned how additional ballots continue to surface months after the election was certified.
“The question also is, when does this end?” Alharbi said. “What if months later we find another ballot? This is an issue that we’re facing.”
A disputed election still being sorted out
The backdrop to Friday’s discovery is a mayoral race that has been disputed since Election Night.
Alharbi defeated City Councilmember Muhith Mahmood by a narrow margin in the November 2025 election.
The following day, 37 absentee ballots were discovered at the City Clerk’s Office, and the controversy has only grown since then.
The Wayne County Board of Canvassers deadlocked 2-2 on whether to count the votes, resulting in their initial exclusion.
Mahmood then initiated legal action.
In December 2025, a lower circuit court ruled on the board’s decision to exclude the ballots.
Alharbi was sworn in as mayor on Jan. 1, 2026.
In March 2026, the Michigan Court of Appeals reversed the lower court’s ruling in a 2-1 decision.
The appellate judges wrote that errors made by election officials should not disenfranchise eligible voters and ordered that the 37 ballots undergo standard challenged-voter procedures and be reviewed.
City Clerk Rana Faraj was placed on administrative leave and eventually dismissed.
Faraj has since filed a lawsuit against the city.
Mayor stands firm on not counting post-election ballots
Alharbi reiterated his position that ballots discovered after an election should not be counted, citing the Wayne County Board of Canvassers’ judgment.
“This is why our stand has been against counting any ballots after the elections,” Alharbi said. “We should go with what the Board of Canvassers has been saying and based on their judgment.”
When asked about concerns from residents who believe every legally cast vote should count, Alharbi acknowledged the close race but pointed to other concerns that emerged during the recount.
“Every vote counts,” Alharbi said. “Hamtramck is a small city, so this has happened before where the election is close.”
Alharbi also alleged that election officials found discrepancies involving absentee ballots during the recount, including ballots where names had allegedly been altered.
Council resolutions, calls for federal scrutiny
Despite the latest discovery, Alharbi said his administration remains focused on improving election procedures rather than assigning blame.
“At the moment, I think we should improve the way we handle those absentee ballots,” Alharbi said. “We’ve got to make sure the system improves.”
Alharbi said the City Council has already approved resolutions aimed at strengthening election integrity, including measures requiring residency verification and requiring candidates to sign an oath affirming they will not engage in voter fraud or violate election laws.
Alharbi said he would also welcome additional outside scrutiny.
“We do encourage that some federal agencies need to step in and look into this,” Alharbi said.
Alharbi acknowledged the broader toll the ongoing controversies have taken on his administration.
“When I got into this position, my goal was to improve the city,” Alharbi said. “Unfortunately, we’re going from one issue to another.”
Wayne County election officials have not publicly commented on the newly discovered ballot.
It remains unclear whether the ballot will have any legal impact on the ongoing litigation surrounding the 2025 election.
Watch the full interview below