Hamtramck city council election kicks out one incumbent
Top vote-getter Saad Almasmari (center) celebrates his victory to city council on election night.
By Charles Sercombe
Hamtramck’s city council now has a new member.
Councilmember Robert Zwolak lost his bid for re-election to Saad Almasmari.
Almasmari, who came in first place, was part of a slate that included incumbents Anam Miah and Abu Musa. That was the only slate in this election.
Both Miah and Musa were re-elected.
The unofficial results for Tuesday’s General Election are:
Saad Almasmari: 1,176
Abu Musa: 1,141
Anam Miah: 1,002
Susan Dunn: 696
Robert Zwolak: 636
Cathie Gordon: 622
Upon hearing the election results in city hall, Almasmari was ecstatic.
“I expected this (sic) results,” he said. “I asked God to help me, and I promise to serve the community.”
This was Almasmari’s first attempt to win a seat on council. He previously ran unsuccessfully for a position on the Hamtramck Public School Board.
The voter turnout for the election was 2,230 voters. This general election was unusual in that there were no other political races or state, county, or local proposals on the ballot.
The weather on election day was picture-perfect: Sunny and in the mid-70s in temperature.
Hamtramck, for the first time in its history, now has a Muslim majority on council.
The new term for council starts on Jan. 1, 2016.
Hamtramck, once a predomintely Polish-Catholic community, is now home to a growing Bangladeshi and Yemeni community.
Both communities are largely Muslim, and they now represent about 50 percent of the city’s population, according to recent U.S. Census figures. There are about a dozen mosques located in the city and in the surrounding neighborhoods in Detroit.
Despite the election results the role of the council is extremely limited, with the state still providing oversight on all decisions of the city. Hamtramck only recently came out of a financial crisis last December when a state-appointed emergency manager left her position after being here for 18 months.
A state-appointed Transition Advisory Board still has control of all financial decisions of the city. There is no end date to that oversight.
10 Responses to Hamtramck city council election kicks out one incumbent
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Omar Almasmari
November 3, 2015 at 11:17 pm
Congrats …
Saad almasmari worked very hard and it showed. .. hard work pays off
onu singh
November 4, 2015 at 1:15 am
Congrats to the winners
Ahad
November 4, 2015 at 11:02 am
Congratulations all councilman elect. Hamtramck is the most divert city in state of Michigan. This city is still under states observation on all financial decision. I hope new elected city council with work hard and smart to bring the city out of financial crisis. I strongly believe that Mayor and councilmen work together to make this city the best place to live and raise family.
Bill Franken
November 4, 2015 at 11:08 am
If God helped him win, hopefully he can help make home values rise, too! Although, I doubt both, and find it troubling that a man who believes in the things a Muslim believes in has been elected to a position of authority in our fair city.
QSal
November 4, 2015 at 11:29 am
I hope,that he has power and connection, he does not harm the lady and her husband that he had fight with before election. and asks them for the $8000 back May God protect them.
Momo
November 4, 2015 at 12:55 pm
Congrats to the three winners. I’m upset that a lot of people are saying hurtful things on Facebook regarding this election and brining religion into this. All I can say is, going to Hamtramck public school, I never encountered such racism among my fellow peers. The racism is present in the older generation. Instead of being optimistic, people are being negative. W don’t appreciate your racist remarks because we are the future leaders. We are willing to work with different people to create a friendly environment, like we did in school. Stop being ignorant and welcome the newly elected officials.
omar masmari
November 4, 2015 at 3:27 pm
qsal…
tsk tsk tsk come on girl this is so like you….
Mark K
December 3, 2015 at 10:13 pm
I will be speaking about this topic at the next City Council Meeting.
tammy
December 25, 2015 at 11:40 am
The citizens of this town need to vote our the Majority of Muslims since they’re not respecting the US Constitution by blaring their Morning prayers which is violation the towns rights to peach..
Take this town to court and sue then to get their Sharia and calls to pray out.. No religion shall infringe on government
leo
August 22, 2016 at 8:50 pm
the call to prayers by muslims with loud speakers shows that muslims dont respect america or the constitution. I truly hope im wrong but i dont trust those muslim leaders. theres a difference between muslm leaders and the muslim average people.