DEARBORN — The Dearborn municipality races are starting to take shape, with only one month to go before the deadline for candidates to pull petitions for the city’s Mayor, City Council and City Clerk races.

Previously announced Arab American candidates in the running for city council were Susan Dabaja, Tarek Baydoun, Mohamed Berro, and Mike Sareini. An additional fifth candidate has now also pulled a petition, Dearborn business owner Michael Berry, who had previously ran for City Council in the past.

The five Arab American candidates are not the only ones gunning for City Council however. In total there are 17 candidates thus far eying the seven open positions. Previously announced candidates were Colette Richards, a Dearborn Public School employee and Former Crowley Park Neighborhood Association President; Michael D. Albano, a Dearborn Telecommunications Commissioner and co-host and founder of The Telecom Show on CDTV;  Maureen McIlrath-Noland, who currently serves on the City Beautiful Commission, a position appointed by Mayor Jack O’Reilly;  and Steven Guibord, a Dearborn Parking Commissioner.

New candidates who pulled petitions for city council are Robert Bochenek, a sales representative and retired Dearborn police officer, Robert Watson, a building official,  Patrick Melton, a Wayne County Sheriff Deputy,  Rapheal Coles, a business owner, Nicholas Vandenburg, a skilled tradesman, and Ejaz Virk, who works in business.

Aside from the new candidates, a couple of familiar faces may seek re-election on City Council. Current council members Mark Shooshanian and Brian O’Donnell have pulled petitions for the race. City Council member Suzanne Sareini announced that she will not seek re-election, and shifted her support to her son Mike Sareini, who is hoping to take her seat. 

Mayor Jack O’Reilly is also eyeing a re-elected after completing his first full term, but his run may not go unchallenged. Residents Edward Binkley and Arab American Rabih Elkadri have pulled petitions, but have yet to return their signature sheets.

Kathleen Buda, who is seeking a fifth term as city clerk, may face some competition as well. Resident Mark Dawdy has pulled petitions for the race, although he has yet to return them.

All petitioners must submit 100 valid signatures by May 14 in order to be considered an official candidate. The signatures will be checked and verified by the clerk’s office. A signature is considered valid if it is signed by a Dearborn resident who is also registered to vote. The state of Michigan also requires other criteria in order to be considered eligible. 

So far only six of the City Council candidates have officially returned their petitions; Susan Dabaja, Colette Richards, Michael Albano, Maureen  McIrath-Noland, Mohamed Berro, and Mike Sareini. 

Fifteen or more City Council candidates will need to return their petitions in order for the positions to make it to the Primary, or else the positions will jump ahead to the General Election race in November. For the mayor and City Clerk race, three candidates need to be in the running by the deadline in order to have a Primary. If there are less than three candidates, the positions will also advance to the general election.