DEARBORN — As absentee voting begins for the November 4 municipal elections, the Arab American Political Action Committee (AAPAC) has released its list of endorsed candidates in the local municipality races in Dearborn and Dearborn Heights.

AAPAC, which elected a new leadership team last month, held a series of meetings and interviews to evaluate the candidates deserving of Arab American voters’ support in the two neighboring cities. Founded in 1998, the organization typically relies on previous interviews with incumbent candidates seeking reelection, while conducting in-depth discussions with new contenders to identify “the most qualified” among them — in keeping with its motto, “the right person in the right place.”

The list of candidates endorsed by AAPAC for the November election is as follows:

Dearborn endorsements:

AAPAC announced its support for the re-election of Mayor Abdullah Hammoud for another four-year term.

In the City Council race, where 13 candidates are competing for seven open seats, AAPAC endorsed only five candidates, including three incumbents and two new candidates.

However voters can vote up to seven candidates.

The endorsed candidates are:

• Council President Mike Sareini

• Councilman Robert Abraham

• Councilman Mustapha Hammoud

AAPAC also endorsed two new candidates:

• Shadi Mawari

• Othman Ali Alaansi

For the City Clerk race, the organization voted to endorse community activist Sami Elhady.

On the ballot proposal regarding the restructuring of Dearborn’s City Council into seven voting wards, AAPAC is asking Dearborn voters to cast  a “NO” vote on Proposal 1.

Dearborn Heights endorsements:

In Dearborn Heights, AAPAC announced its endorsement of City Council President Mo Baydoun for mayor and Councilman Hassan Ahmed for reelection to the City Council, where five candidates are vying for four open four-year seats.

Voter outreach and annual banquet

As in previous election cycles, AAPAC will mail a voter guide to all registered voters in districts where the organization has issued endorsements.

The group will also host its annual banquet on Wednesday, October 29, at Byblos Banquet Hall in Dearborn at 6:30 p.m. The event will feature local officials, candidates and community leaders from across the Detroit metropolitan area.

New leadership… New vision

In late September, AAPAC held its internal elections, which resulted in the following leadership team:

• Osama Siblani, publisher of The Arab American News, elected president, succeeding former president Farah Hoballah.

• Fadwa Hammoud, former deputy Michigan attorney general, elected vice president for external relations.

• Nora Alkhanas, elected vice president for internal relations.

• Sharifa Ghalib, elected treasurer.

• Hussein Saad, elected secretary.

Siblani, who co-founded AAPAC nearly three decades ago, said the endorsed candidates were chosen through a “highly democratic process” conducted in an open and transparent forum.

“Candidates must receive the support of two-thirds of AAPAC’s members in good standing to earn the organization’s endorsement,” Siblani explained.

“Members based their votes primarily on the performance and platforms of the candidates who demonstrated understanding of the needs and interests of the communities they serve — or aspire to serve — if they are elected.”

Commenting on AAPAC’s decision not to endorse any candidates in Hamtramck, despite its Arab and Muslim-majority population, Siblani clarified that the organization’s policy requires candidates to submit written requests for endorsement in order for the organization to consider them.

“No Arab American or Muslim candidates in Hamtramck requested AAPAC’s support in this year’s elections,” he said.

He emphasized that AAPAC follows a fully democratic process in all endorsement decisions:

“All members are invited to participate in the discussions and evaluations of candidates to select the most qualified individuals,” Siblani said.

Future vision

Siblani said that during his presidency, he intends to reorganize and revitalize AAPAC to reflect the growth and evolving influence of the Arab American community.

“Our goal is to make AAPAC more active and effective in the political landscape of Michigan and the United States,” he said. “We want it to be better equipped to meet new challenges and support our community’s urgent needs by deepening political awareness, enhancing civic engagement, and building unity around common causes.”