Muhith Mahmud Set to Become Hamtramck Mayor After Court Ruling

A Wayne County judge has cleared a major legal hurdle for Muhith Mahmud to become the next mayor of Hamtramck, ruling that he meets the residency requirements for holding elected office.

Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Kathleen McCarthy concluded that there was insufficient evidence to disqualify Mahmud based on his claimed residence in the city. In an October 30 order, she directed the Wayne County Board of Canvassers to certify 37 previously disputed ballots, which would put Mahmud ahead in the mayoral race.

“Based on the current circumstances, Muhith Mahmud is the lawful mayor of Hamtramck,” McCarthy wrote in her order.

After hearing witness testimony and reviewing the documents, the court determined that Mahmud had satisfied the residency requirement for serving as mayor. The judge acknowledged that Mahmud maintains residences in other cities and that his wife and children primarily live in Troy, but said those circumstances do not disqualify him from holding elected office.

The ruling follows months of legal disputes over 37 ballots discovered in opened envelopes at the Hamtramck City Clerk’s office the day after the November 2025 election. A judge ordered the ballots to be counted in September, and the Wayne County Board of Canvassers reviewed and examined them on October 16.

The unofficial results showed Mahmud receiving 2,089 votes, compared with 2,077 votes for incumbent Mayor Adam Alharbi, giving Mahmud a 12-vote lead.

Despite the revised count, the board had been unable to certify the results because of the pending legal dispute over whether Mahmud met Hamtramck’s residency requirements.

A hearing on the matter was held at Wayne County Circuit Court on October 22. Friday’s ruling resolved the residency dispute, removing a major legal obstacle to Mahmud assuming the mayor’s office.

However, the court’s decision does not itself formally certify the election results. The Wayne County Board of Canvassers is expected to certify the 37 ballots, although no date has yet been announced.

Alharbi has served as Hamtramck’s mayor since January 2026.