Countdown to election day

By Charles Sercombe
There’s just a little over a week before what many political observers are saying is one of the most important midterm elections this country has experienced in many years.
The election is Tuesday, Nov. 8.
Simply put, this election will determine whether the Democrats or Republicans control Congress, although it’s possible it could be split as well.
Historically, the party in charge at midterms, which in this case is the Democrats, will lose to the other side, which would be Republicans.
But this election, some say, could be an exception, as there appears to be a large number of newly-registered voters across the country.
No matter, Hamtramck voters have a slew of federal, state and local races to decide, as well as three state ballot proposals.
There are no local ballot proposals, although there is a Hamtramck Public School Board election.
The school board election involves three seats on the Hamtramck School Board. There are four candidates running, including current boardmember Mortadha Ali-Mudhaffar Obaid.
Obaid is running unopposed for a partial-term position.
The other three candidates, which include a write-in candidate, are vying for two full-term seats.
The three state ballot proposals include the following:
Proposal 22-1 would “amend the state constitution to require annual public financial disclosure reports by legislators and other state officers and change state legislator term limits to 12 total years in legislature.”
Proposal 22-2 would “amend the state constitution to add provisions regarding elections.”
Proposal 22-3 would “amend the state constitution to establish new individual right to reproductive freedom, including right to make all decisions about pregnancy and abortion; allow state to regulate abortion in some cases; and forbid prosecution of individuals exercising established right.”
For those who wish to vote by absentee ballot, there is still time to get one. AV (absentee) ballots are available at the city’s clerk’s office in city hall.
For those who already have one but have not sent it back, at this point it’s being advised to hand deliver the ballot to city hall in order to prevent a delay from mailing it.
As of Tuesday, 1,853 AV ballots have been issued in Hamtramck, with 600 returned.
Polls open at 7 a.m. on election day, and close at 8 p.m.
Published Oct. 28, 2022