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Court orders Wayne County to review 37 uncounted absentee ballots in Hamtramck mayoral race decided by 11 votes

By
Paula Wethington
Paula Wethington
Web Producer
Paula Wethington is a digital producer at CBS Detroit. She previously held digital content roles at NEWSnet, Gannett/USA Today network and The Monroe News in Michigan. She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina.
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Paula Wethington

/ CBS Detroit

A Michigan Court of Appeals has ruled that 37 absentee ballots that remain uncounted from the Hamtramck, Michigan, mayoral election in November must be reviewed and included. 

The results of that review could have an impact on the mayoral seat because of how narrow Adam Alharbi's win was over city councilman Muhith Mahmood.  

"There is no dispute in this matter that the returns were incomplete," the Michigan Court of Appeals majority opinion said. 

Two justices signed that opinion. One dissented, saying that the Wayne County Board of Canvassers was not required to include the 37 uncounted ballots. 

The case is now remanded back to the trial court "for proceedings consistent with this opinion." 

The election took place on Nov. 4. An official certification of the votes two weeks after election day indicated Alharbi had six votes over Mahmood. A later hand recount by the Wayne County Board of Canvassers determined that Alharbi won by 11 votes over Mahmood, with election results reported as 2,071 for Alharbi and 2,060 for Mahmood.  

The Board of Canvassers decided not to count the absentee ballots in question, as Hamtramck City Clerk Rana Faraj had noticed a break in the chain of custody. 

Mahmood said he planned to continue his efforts to claim the mayoral seat because of the 37 uncounted absentee votes. 

The resulting lawsuit was presented to the Michigan Supreme Court. But the justices at that level declined in January to hear arguments on the case, and instead insisted on an expedited decision from the Michigan Court of Appeals. 

In the meantime, Alharbi began his term as mayor on Jan. 1, and an inauguration event took place on Jan. 4.

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