Opponents of Michigan pot legalization proposal speak out
October 28th, 20180 DETROIT — Community leaders and advocacy groups voiced during a news conference Tuesday their opposition to a measure on the Nov. 6 ballot that asks Michigan voters to decide on legalization of recreational marijuana use. Proposal 18-1, “supports the very issues that are harming our neighborhoods and killing our families,” said...
This is why Arab Americans should vote YES on Proposal 18-3
October 26th, 20180 For too long the Arab American voice on Election Day in Southeast Michigan and in cities like Dearborn, Dearborn Heights and Hamtramck in particular has been muted. Proposal 3 is a statewide ballot measure that would reduce some of the barriers that prevent us as a community from fully participating in elections and we urge our readers...
AAPAC honors community leaders, promotes candidates at annual dinner
October 26th, 20180 DEARBORN — The Arab American Political Action Committee (AAPAC) hosted its 21st annual banquet dinner on Oct. 24 at Byblos Banquet Center in Dearborn. AAPAC President and attorney Mona Fadlallah highlighted the committee’s role in empowering women and encouraging their participation in politics. “There has been a...
Henry Ford College’s millage renewal explained
October 19th, 20180 DEARBORN – Since its founding in 1938, Henry Ford College has been touted as one of the best pathways to a higher education in the state and in bringing capital to the city. On November 6, Dearborn residents will decide whether to reinvest in the school. By law, every Wayne County community must belong to a community college...
AAPAC issues across-the-board endorsements as Election Day approaches
October 19th, 20181 DEARBORN – Several key races are brewing that could alter the course municipalities and the state take as they face challenges like improving public education, fixing dilapidated infrastructure and lowering insurance premiums. After interviews and deliberations on October 17, The Arab American Political Action Committee (AAPAC)...
This is why Salwa Fawaz is seeking a seat on Crestwood school board
October 15th, 20180 DEARBORN HEIGHTS – Salwa Fawaz, one of four candidates campaigning for three open seats on the Crestwood Board of Education, would only be the second Arab American on the board for a district that comprises of 70 percent Arab American students. The only current Arab American member is Nadia Berry, who was elected in 2016. Fawaz...
Uber to offer free rides to the polls on Election Day
October 15th, 20180 Uber will take you to your polling place for free on Election Day. A new button will appear in the Uber app on Nov. 6 with a function that will allow users to find their polling place and book a ride to go and vote. These free rides will be funded by Uber and the non-profit groups #VoteTogether and Democracy Works.
Jocelyn Benson: Secretary of State should respect your time and money, protect your vote
October 4th, 20180 DEARBORN – Jocelyn Benson sees the secretary of state as the chief guardian of our democratic process. Benson, a former dean of the Wayne State University Law School, is the Democratic candidate for Michigan's secretary of state. On September 28, Benson made a campaign stop at The AANews offices in Dearborn, where she met with...
General election information for Dearborn voters
September 30th, 20180 DEARBORN – In the Nov. 6 general election, Dearborn voters will make their choice for governor, state senator, state representative, county commissioner and other important offices. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday Nov. 6. The deadline to register to vote in the November general election is Oct. 9. The City...
Green Party of Michigan endorses proposal for marijuana legalization
September 29th, 20180 LANSING — The Green Party of Michigan announced its formal endorsement of Proposal 18-1 to legalize and regulate marijuana at its recent statewide membership meeting. The Green Party stated in a press release that it discussed concerns about Proposal 18-1 before taking a vote to endorse it. The press release also included Green...
School Board candidate Aman Fidama is first Yemeni American woman to run for office in Michigan
September 15th, 20180 DEARBORN – More than half of the candidates running for two seats on the Dearborn Board of Education are of Arab origin, with one of them – Aman (Amy) Fidama – being the first Yemeni American woman to run for office in Michigan. Two six-year seats are up for grabs and voters will determine who’ll fill them on November...
Whitmer reiterates support for Israel and opposition to anti-boycott laws
September 15th, 20181 DEARBORN – Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gretchen Whitmer has reaffirmed her “unwavering support” for Israel and said she is 100 percent opposed to BDS.” In response to what Whitmer’s campaign calls “baseless smears” from her Republican opponent Bill Schuette's “partisan attack dogs” in the form of articles...
Dearborn seeking Election Day poll workers
September 10th, 20180 DEARBORN – The city clerk is seeking poll workers for the November 6 general election. Candidates should be at least 18 years of age, registered voters in Michigan and have basic computer skills. Students who are 16 or 17 years old may also apply. The position pays $130 for the day and an additional $20 for attending the...
Whitmer campaigns at Dearborn town hall with El-Sayed
September 1st, 20180 DEARBORN — At a town hall meeting on Monday Aug. 27 at the Arab American National Museum (AANM) in Dearborn, Democratic gubernatorial nominee Gretchen Whitmer and her running mate, Garlin Gilchrist, joined forces with Abdul El-Sayed, the runner-up for the nomination, to speak with Arab Americans and Metro Detroit community...
Officials, Arab American Democrats rally behind party unity ahead of elections
August 31st, 20180 LANSING – Michigan voters are gearing up to elect candidates for governor, attorney general and secretary of state, among others, on November 6. Following the primary elections, which saw the defeat of progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed to his rival and establishment Democrat, Gretchen Whitmer, elected officials and Arab Americans......
Wayne County voters, candidates demand answers for primary blunders
August 19th, 20180 DETROIT – More than 40 voters, elected officials and candidates crowded into a small room inside the Renalti Building on Monday, Aug. 13, to demand answers to the problems experienced by Wayne County voters during the August 7 primary election. The Wayne County Board of Canvassers convened a meeting to discuss the problems...
As more women run for office, state legislatures are poised to change
August 19th, 20180 WASHINGTON, D.C. — As women line up to run for U.S. political office at historic rates, state legislatures — where some of America’s most critical policy decisions get made — could see a slew of new female lawmakers after November’s vote, according to a Reuters analysis of election data. In Michigan, for example, a state......
Trump supporters win key GOP primaries in Michigan
August 18th, 20180 All three Republican candidates in key races won in Michigan's August 7 primary election and will face their Democratic challengers in November. While Democrats in Michigan and across the nation are basking in the victories of progressive candidates, including minorities and women, Republicans supporting President Trump's...
Joe Biden endorses Whitmer for Michigan governor
August 15th, 20180 On Wednesday, former Vice President Joe Biden has endorsed Gretchen Whitmer, the Democratic candidate for governor of Michigan. "Michigan’s middle class families need a governor who knows how to get things done, and that’s why I’m endorsing Gretchen," Biden said in a statement released by Whitmer's campaign. "Gretchen has spent...
Wayne and Oakland counties pass SMART millage, Macomb vote close
August 13th, 20180 Mt. Clemens— While voters in Oakland and Wayne Counties chose to approve a millage renewal for the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) through 2021 by wide margins, Macomb County voters approved the measure by just 23 votes. The final unofficial results showed the millage passed in Macomb 77,502 to...
Fayrouz Saad loses close Congressional race
August 12th, 20180 NORTHVILLE - Fayrouz Saad, who sought to replace the retiring David Trott as the U.S. representative for Michigan’s 11th District, lost a close race in the Democratic primary on Aug. 7. Saad came in fourth place in a tight race, earning 17,415 votes. Haley Stevens won the primary with 24,232 votes, while Tim Greimel came in second......
How do Dearborn residents feel about voting in the primaries?
August 12th, 20180 DEARBORN — During the primary election on Tuesday, Aug. 7, many residents expressed the importance of voting, with some saying that casting their vote would make a difference. “My role is to speak out and choose who is going to be helpful to the people,” a woman who voted at William Ford Elementary School told The AANews. “I...
Arab American candidates lose in Hamtramck primary elections
August 12th, 20180 HAMTRAMCK – Two Arab American candidates lost in the Democratic primary election in Hamtramck on August 7. Abraham Aiyash ran for State Senate in the Second District, while Saad Almasmari campaigned for the Fourth District seat in the Michigan House of Representatives. Aiyash earned 5,764 votes while his primary opponent,......
Little-known candidate unseats Knezek in Fifth Senate District
August 12th, 20180 DETROIT — Tuesday’s election brought to light a previously unknown political candidate with a questionable past, who unseated a usually popular state lawmaker. Betty Jean Alexander, a 53-year-old Detroiter, won the race with 54.5 percent of the vote after signing a waiver saying she wouldn’t spend more than $1,000 on her...
Bernie Sanders headlines rallies for El-Sayed days before primary
August 11th, 20180 DETROIT — Over the weekend, just days before Michigan’s primary election, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), campaigned for Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, the progressive Democratic gubernatorial candidate. Sanders and El-Sayed attracted more than 1,400 people at a rally held at Cobo Center in downtown Detroit Sunday afternoon. El-Sayed......
