DEARBORN — A group of activists in Dearborn is pushing to change how City Council members are elected, submitting more than 6,300 petition signatures last week to the city clerk. The initiative aims to place a charter amendment on the November ballot that would shift the current at-large voting system to a ward-based election structure — a change organizers say is necessary to ensure fair representation for all neighborhoods.

Current system vs. proposed change

Currently, all seven members of the Dearborn City Council are elected at-large, meaning all residents citywide vote to elect all seven candidates. Under the proposed system, Dearborn would be divided into seven geographic districts, with one City Council member elected per district — exclusively by voters residing in that district. Two additional at-large members would also be elected, bringing the council total to nine members, similar to Detroit’s system.

The proposal, led by the group Dearborn Wants Wards, argues the change is needed to address longstanding underrepresentation of East Dearborn, home to the city’s larger immigrant, working-class and majority-minority communities. In contrast, six of the seven current Council members reside in West Dearborn, where about 45,000 people live — while only one member resides in the East, where the population is closer to 65,000.

Advocates say ward system will empower marginalized communities

Community activist Mona Mawari, a Yemeni American pharmacist and founder of the Michigan Muslim Alliance, said East Dearborn residents feel politically marginalized under the current system.

“As immigrants, we’re constantly blamed for low voter turnout,” she told the Detroit News. “But the truth is, the system itself discourages participation. Voters feel like their voices never translate into real representation.”

Mawari and others argue that a ward system would not only increase representation, but also encourage voter participation, particularly in historically low-turnout neighborhoods like the South End, home to a dense Yemeni American population.

Proponents also claim district-based elections would allow city leaders to more effectively address neighborhood-specific concerns, such as rodent infestations, poor road maintenance, pollution and public service gaps — issues that disproportionately affect East and South Dearborn.

Several Michigan cities — including Detroit, Ann Arbor and Inkster — already use a ward-based system for electing City Council members.

Opposition voices concern about division

Opponents of the change say the current system promotes unity and efficiency, arguing that City Council members are accountable to the entire city, not just one part.

Councilman Robert Abraham, who lives in West Dearborn, defended the status quo:

“The current system works because every Council member is responsible to all residents of Dearborn.

“If people feel underrepresented and want change, that’s the beauty of our democracy — they have the right to seek it,” he added.

Some critics argue the ward system would increase division and lead to parochialism, potentially making it harder for the City Council to function cohesively and divide communities.

What’s in the proposal?

Pending official approval, the petition proposes amending the Dearborn City Charter to adopt the Detroit model:

• Seven Council districts, with one representative elected per district

• Two at-large Council members elected citywide

• The total number of City Council members would increase from 7 to 9, effective starting in 2029.

The city would also form a citizen-led redistricting commission, randomly selected from residents who apply, to draw the new district maps.

To qualify for the November ballot, the group needed signatures from at least 5 percent of registered voters in Dearborn, or roughly 4,000 valid signatures. Now that the signatures have been submitted, the City Clerk’s Office must verify them before passing the proposal to the Wayne County Clerk by August 14 for inclusion on the ballot. The final wording of the proposed charter amendment must be submitted by August 12.

The November election will also determine Dearborn’s mayor, clerk and seven City Council seats, each for a four-year term.