DEARBORN — In recent weeks, local candidates and community leaders have joined forces to convey the importance of public awareness and voter turnout on Election Day, proving that there is plenty at stake for the local Arab American community on the upcoming November 5 ballot.

In Dearborn, two crucial proposals involving Dearborn Public Schools and Henry Ford Community College (HFCC) are up for a vote, and those behind the proposals have been aiming to win over local residents.

The city council race continues to generate the most buzz this election, and with good reason; 14 candidates are competing for seven seats on the council, and three of them are first-time Arab American candidates.

While the August primary delivered some good news, with the advancements of city council candidates Mike Sareini, Susan Dabaja and Tarek Baydoun to the General Election, there was some disappointment expressed, regarding the lower than expected Arab voter turnout. The City’s east and south end precincts, in particular, saw a significant drop, compared to the primary the year before.

On Friday, October 18, an event, themed “Promote the Vote,” was held at Salina Intermediate School’s auditorium. Hosted by the Yemeni American Community Partnership, over a dozen leaders, city officials and candidates turned out to publicly address local south end residents about the upcoming election.

Those who spoke at the event were Dabaja, Sareini and Baydoun, along with fellow first-time candidate Jane Ahern. In addition, Mayor Jack O’Reilly, current city council members and candidates David Bazzy and Robert Abaraham, 19th District Chief Judge Sam Salamey, Dearborn Public Schools Superintendent Brian Whiston and HFCC President Stan Jensen also spoke at the event.

During the forum, a Q & A session provided local residents with the opportunity to engage candidates over issues that are specific to their community. Examples included a Salina student asking if council candidates could help restore a water fountain at LaPeer Park and a concerned parent, asking if candidates would support closing down local pools.  It was clear that the forum was effective in bringing some of the Dix community’s most pressing issues to light. 

Candidates also discussed some of their ties with the south end community and their recent attempts to reach out to residents.

Tarek Baydoun discussed some recent initiatives that he has made in the south end, including door-to-door knocking and supporting the local Yemeni Stars Soccer Club, which receives no funding from the City, even though funds have been allocated to other private recreational organizations.

Residents seemed very receptive towards Susan Dabaja, who if elected, could become the first female councilwoman born and raised in the south end. Dabaja gave a compelling speech about her history there, telling the crowd that she knows, firsthand, about the struggles they face, yet acknowledges the passion and dedication residents still have for the area. 

Mike Sareini, also has ties with the south end, living there briefly as a child. He told the crowd, that over the years, he’s developed strong ties with the area’s leaders. He has also been reaching out to residents who attend the American Moslem Society, the areas prime mosque, located on Vernor Hwy.

Despite the positive engagement, some still expressed disappointment with the event. Organizer William Ali, took the podium to tell the crowd that he was upset with the turnout, as he had heavily promoted the event and hoped for a packed auditorium. He feared that the turnout may forecast an uneventful Election Day in the south end.

“There is no way you can ask these leaders to do things for us, when we don’t even care for ourselves. It doesn’t look good and it’s embarrassing,” Ali told the crowd. “Let’s take something from this and step up. I’m challenging the young people in this community to work harder, because we need to change the situation and build some pride in this community.”

In addition to the event held in the south end, the Arab Student Union (ASU) at the University of Michigan-Dearborn held a forum on Wednesday, October 22 for city council candidates to engage with young voters. Present at the event were 10 of the city council candidates, who addressed questions and concerns from local students. ASU President Fareed Shalhout stressed on the importance of the youth vote. 

“I am proud of the work that was done today by the memebers of the Fordson High School and University of Michigan-Dearborn Arab Student Union. The questions asked today were straight from the youth and I feel that the audience are more educated on the issues in our community. The key message is to get out and vote and that is what ASU’s mission was for this event,” said Shalhout. 

Members of the ASU are also preparing to do some footwork on Election Day. As in previous years, they will be stationed at local precincts to distribute slates and assist bilingual residents, who may be unfamiliar with election guidelines. 

The Arab American Political Action Committee (AAPAC) is also prepping for the upcoming elections, by distributing bilingual flyers to registered voters that will showcase their previously announced endorsement slate. As they do every year, AAPAC will also have volunteers stationed across the majority of the precincts. AAPAC will also be setting up a hotline on Election Day to assist residents who may have general questions about the elections, or who may need help with precinct locations.

“I think there is a lot of enthusiasm this year, coming off the heels of the last election.  People are beginning to realize that their vote makes a difference,” said AAPAC President Mariam Bazzi. “We have a number of Arab American candidates running and there is excitement about that. You need to come out, because you could be the deciding vote in who makes it.”

Next week, The Arab American News (TAAN) will be providing coverage of AAPAC’s annual dinner, where local candidates and officials will be in attendance. TAAN will also be announcing their own list of endorsements, as well as conducting an interview with Dearborn City Clerk Kathy Buddha, who will be explaining the City’s voting guidelines and procedures.