Clocking is ticking for election day

By Charles Sercombe
Next Tuesday (Aug. 4) is election day in Hamtramck, as it is across the state.
The most prominent issue in Hamtramck is the school bond proposal, which will ask voters to approve a 30-year bond that would increase the property millage rate by 7 mills.
That millage will generate $35 million, and it will allow the district to perform a lengthy list of repairs and updates to school buildings.
The bond will also, most notably, allow the district to build a three-story school building.
As one would expect, the bond proposal has spurred a spirited discussion – mostly on social media — between supporters and opponents.
The election also features some local candidates seeking office.
The race receiving the closest scrutiny is the state representative position in the 4th district, which became vacant when State Rep. Isaac Robinson died in mid-term of COVID-19.
The district includes Hamtramck.
There are actually two elections for this seat: one to fill out Robinson’s term until the end of the year, and the other for a new two-year full term.
Local candidates include Michelle Oberholtzer, Shahab Ahmed and Abraham Aiyash.
Here is the list of candidates running for the partial and full term:
Partial term
Shahab Ahmed (D), 9115 Conant, Hamtramck
Abraham Aiyash (D), 5000 Yemans, Hamtramck
Anthony Ali (D), 658 Lawrence, Detroit
Christopher L. Collins (D), 2256 Leland, Detroit
DeLorean Holmes (D), 7359 Kipling, Detroit
Michele Oberholtzer (D), 2694 Trowbridge, Hamtramck
Tonya Myers Phillips (D), 830 Blaine, Detroit
Gregory Reyner (D), 1181 Atkinson, Detroit
Abraham Shaw (D), 10254 Gratiot, Detroit
Tawanna Simpson (D), 1500 Atkinson, Detroit
Sigmunt John Szczepkowski, Jr. (D), 13205 Charest, Detroit
Full term
Shahab Ahmed (D), 9115 Conant, Hamtramck
Abraham Aiyash (D), 5000 Yemans, Hamtramck
Anthony Ali (D), 658 Lawrence, Detroit
Christopher L. Collins (D), 2256 Leland, Detroit
DeLorean Holmes (D), 7359 Kipling, Detroit
Frazier K. Kimpson (D), 4106 Aretha, Detroit
Michele Oberholtzer (D), 2694 Trowbridge, Hamtramck
Tonya Myers Phillips (D), 830 Blaine, Detroit
Gregory Reyner (D), 1181 Atkinson, Detroit
Abraham Shaw (D), 10254 Gratiot, Detroit
Tawanna Simpson (D), 1500 Atkinson, Detroit
Sigmunt John Szczepkowski, Jr. (D), 13205 Charest, Detroit
Howard Wheathington (R), 948 Chicago, Detroit

Since the district votes heavily in favor of Democrats, who ever wins this runoff will likely go on to win the seat in the November election.
Another local candidate is seeking to move up the political ladder. Hamtramck City Councilmember Mohammed Hassan wants to leave his seat on council and become the next Wayne County Commissioner for the district that includes Hamtramck.
He has a formidable opponent – current Commissioner Martha Scott, who has held several political offices since the 1970s.
She has repeatedly beaten back challengers in her long career in politics, and has shown no sign of slowing down now that she is in her 70s.
If you haven’t registered to vote, there is still time to do so, even on election day.
Posted July 31, 2020