DETROIT — While May 14 marked the petition deadline for candidates seeking mayoral, City Council, City Clerk and other elected city posts, candidates still had a three-day window to pull out of the race by Friday, May 17 at 4 p.m.

The results now show that several cities will be holding a primary election on August 6 to narrow down the list of candidates. In Wayne County, the cities of Detroit, Dearborn, Garden City, Livonia, Romulus and Taylor will all be holding a primary. 

Last week, The Arab American News reported that Mayor Jack O’Reilly of Dearborn will be in the running during the primary against Ziad Abdulmalik, Tahir Hassan Alaragy, Edward Binkley and Nofila Haidar. All candidates remained in the running after the withdraw deadline last Friday. 

While the position for Dearborn Mayor seems to be heavily challenged this year, it is still unknown just how much of a challenge it may actually be. Abdulmalik and Haidar, young new faces who have never sought elected positions before, will still have to reach out to Dearborn voters to try and gain some momentum and support for their campaigns. O’Reilly held a campaign fundraiser in March, and is looking for support from local organizations.

Dearborn Clerk Kathleen Buda is being challenged by Khalil Dakhlallah and Mark Jess Dawdy. There are also 21 candidates in the running for City Council, all of whom were announced in The Arab American News last week.

In Romulus, a primary is expected to be held to narrow the fields for City Council and Mayor as well. There are 15 candidates, including four incumbents, vying for seven seats on the council.

But the race everyone seems to be keeping an eye on in the City of Romulus is the Mayoral race. Current Mayor Alan Lambert announced that he would not be seeking a re-ection in office. Lambert had been facing some negative attention recently due to Michigan State Police raiding his home in March as part of an ongoing state-wide investigation regarding public corruption with city officials. Lambert, who also served on the council, the Romulus Board of Education and the city’s police force, was first elected mayor in 2001.

Four candidates are looking to fill his position, including Mayor Pro Tem LeRoy Burcroff, Councilwoman Eva Webb, Charles Miller and Craig Plank. The top two vote-getters during the primary will advance to the General Election. 

Garden City will also hold a primary to narrow a City Council field of seven candidates, including four incumbents, vying for three four-year terms and one two-year term. There are 11 candidates, including two incumbents, running for three four-year terms and one two-year term for Livonia City Council.

In Taylor, the primary election is expected to be a hot race. There are three candidates vying for mayor, including current Mayor Jeffrey Lamarand, who is seeking a second term. He will be challenged by current councilman Rick Sollars.  Also in the running for the position is former Auxiliary Police Commander John Edwards.

The City’s treasurer position is also looking competitive, with three candidates in the running as well. There are also 26 candidates running for seven City Council seats.

None of the races are expected to be as popular as the upcoming primary election for the City of Detroit. On the heels of current Mayor Dave Bing’s announcement that he won’t be seeking a re-election, there are 22 candidates in the running for the City’s next mayor. That makes it the most competitive race for mayor in decades.

Top candidates include Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon, former Detroit Medical Center chief Mike Duggan, accountant Tom Barrow, and state Reps. John Olumba, Lisa Howze and Fred Durhal Jr.

The City Council primary race in Detroit is also expected to draw some attention. In total, there will be over 65 candidates running for seats in the City’s seven districts. Five candidates are also in the running for City Clerk, including incumbent Janice M. Winfrey. 

Residents who plan on voting in the primary on Aug. 6 must register to vote at a local secretary of state or city clerks office before the deadline of July 7. Registration can also be done online at www.Michigan.gov/sos.