Op-ed: Andy Levin is the right choice for a more united and understanding future
July 15th, 20220 — Rex Nazarko is a staffer with the Emgage Michigan team This past June, our team at Emgage and our allies came together in a celebratory event on Capitol Hill to honor and inspire Muslim American civic engagement. As our event was about to begin, we encountered heightened security measures on the Hill, which brought about...
AAPAC announces endorsements for the August 2 primary election
July 15th, 20220 DEARBORN — The long-running Arab American Political Action Committee (AAPAC) has announced its endorsements for the state-wide August primary elections. AAPAC is the oldest Arab American political organization, established in 1998 and formed by a group of Arab American professionals who set out to organize and encourage the...
Survey: Almost half of Muslim Americans disapprove of Biden; majority to stick with Democrats in midterms
July 8th, 20220 A new report by a Muslim civil rights and political organization shows significant disapproval among Muslim voters of President Biden’s performance, but a projection that voters will prefer Democrats in the coming midterm election. The report was released this week by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) — which calls...
A look at August primary State House races in Dearborn, Dearborn Heights
July 8th, 20220 This August, voters in Arab American-concentrated precincts in Dearborn, Dearborn Heights and Detroit will have a chance at some fresh representation in Michigan’s legislature. Citizen-led independent redistricting efforts have created three new State House districts in the Dearborn, Dearborn Heights and Detroit areas that have...
More than 875k absentee ballots already requested for the fast approaching August primaries
July 6th, 20220 LANSING — State election officials are reminding voters that Michigan’s statewide primary elections are just under four weeks away. Voters can already cast their ballots for the Tuesday, Aug. 2 primary from home or vote early in person by absentee ballot at their local clerk’s office. Or they can vote at their polling place on...
Sanders endorses Tlaib, Levin; criticizes pro-corporate, pro-Israeli funds targeting primaries
July 1st, 20220 With primary races for Congressional seats heating up in Metro Detroit, some candidates have seen now unprecedented amounts of outside campaign funds pumped into their coffers. Most notably, those funds, raised by pro-Israeli occupation and pro-big business entities, have been directed to mainstream, pro-Israel Democrats in order...
Hamtramck Arabic translations on schedule to appear in the August primary
June 23rd, 20220 HAMTRAMCK — The city of Hamtramck is on track to provide its residents election ballots and materials in Arabic for the August primary. City officials confirmed the progress of the ballots with The Arab American News this week. Hamtramck passed a language access resolution to provide federal voting rights act language...
Absentee ballots for the August primary election now available
June 23rd, 20220 LANSING — Absentee ballots for the August 2 primary election are now available through local clerks' offices, the Michigan Secretary of State announced this week. The ballots will soon be mailed to voters who have already applied to vote absentee. To apply for an absentee ballot, track an absentee ballot or find more...
In a historic first, Arabic will appear on election ballots and materials in Dearborn this August
June 17th, 20222 DEARBORN — Voters in Dearborn can now expect translated materials in time for the August primary. An effort to translate voting materials, including ballots, into Arabic in the city of Dearborn is now well underway, thanks to the work of a committee appointed by Mayor Abdullah Hammoud and the City Council. The committee to...
Michigan GOP gubernatorial candidate Kelley arrested for role in Capitol riots
June 9th, 20220 ALLENDALE — The FBI arrested Michigan Republican gubernatorial candidate Ryan Kelley on Thursday over misdemeanor charges stemming from his role in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol by throngs of then-President Trump's supporters, the Justice Department said. Kelley, 40, of Allendale, is one of five Republicans in the...
Pro-Israel, pro-corporate outside funds thrown at campaign opposing Talib in 12th District primary
June 5th, 20220 A new political action committee, raising funds from wealthy, pro-Israeli occupation groups and individuals, is mounting attacks against U.S. Rep. Rashida Talib (D-Detroit), in her bid to represent the newly formed 12th District. Urban Empowerment Action is planning to spend upwards of $1 million in campaign funds on one of Tlaib’s...
Five Republican candidates, including James Craig, kicked off the ballot for invalid signatures
May 27th, 20221 LANSING — The state’s election bureau has said five Republican candidates for Michigan governor, including two top contenders, should not qualify for the August primary due to insufficient valid nomination signatures. The Michigan Bureau of Elections, which is a part of the Democrat-led Secretary of State office, said earlier...
Wayne County Sheriff Raphael Washington grabs big local endorsements at campaign events
May 20th, 20220 DETROIT/DEARBORN — Wayne County Sheriff Raphael “Ray” Washington received major endorsements at a rally on Tuesday, as he runs to retain his position in this August’s primary election. The endorsement rally took place at the Union Carpenters and Millwrights Skilled Training Center on the city’s west side, a 147,000 square...
Seeking change, Lebanese living abroad cast 142,000 ballots for May 15 parliamentary elections
May 10th, 20220 Lebanese living abroad cast 142,041 ballots for parliamentary elections on Friday and Sunday, many backing political newcomers after the worst crisis since Lebanon's 1975-90 civil war led to widespread poverty and a wave of emigration. Only 225,277 Lebanese living overseas were eligible to participate in the elections in more than 50...
Andy Levin’s opponent, Haley Stevens, has received biggest support from right-wing, pro-Israeli lobby AIPAC
May 7th, 20220 As primary races for Congressional seats in Michigan ramp up, U.S. Reps. Andy Levin (D-Bloomfield Township) and Haley Stevens (D-Livonia) are in a rare contest to represent the same district. Michigan lost a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives after the latest Census revealed its population has declined over the last 10 years.......
Democrat Jeff Pepper wins over Republican Ginger Shearer in Tuesday’s special election
May 5th, 20220 DEARBORN — Democrat Jeff Pepper defeated Republican challenger Ginger Shearer for the District 15 State House partial term in Tuesday’s special election, amid low voter turnout and heavy absentee voting. The low overall turnout was consistent with the special primary that preceded Tuesday’s general. Only 9.5 percent of...
Voter turnout could determine fate in May 3 special election between Democrat Jeff Pepper and Republican Ginger Shearer
April 29th, 20220 DEARBORN - Democratic candidate Jeff Pepper will compete against Republican Ginger Shearer in a special election on May 3 to fill out a State House seat vacated by Dearborn Mayor and former State Rep. Abdullah Hammoud through the end of the year. Pepper won the special Democratic primary election in March over Alabas Farhat — 3,590......
State election officials say voters should hand-deliver absentee ballots in final week before May 3
April 26th, 20220 Michigan's elections officials are encouraging voters to hand-deliver their absentee ballots to their local clerk’s office or ballot drop box, in the week leading up to the May 3 elections Several Michigan communities, including Dearborn, are holding elections next Tuesday. Absentee ballots must be returned by 8 p.m. on Election...
Here are some local candidates for the August primary, after withdrawal deadline
April 22nd, 20220 The deadline for withdrawal from the August primary election has now passed and here are some candidates in notable races for districts covering Dearborn, Dearborn Heights, Hamtramck and more. The following list appears on the Michigan Department of State's website and includes candidates who have withdrawn their names from each...Democrat Jeff Pepper to face Republican Ginger Shearer in May 3 special election for State House District 15
April 22nd, 20220 A special general election on May 3 will decide who sits in the State House seat vacated by Dearborn Mayor and former State Rep. Abdullah Hammoud through the end of the year. The race for the 15th House District pits Democrat Jeff Pepper and Republican Ginger Shearer, formerly known as Virginia Polk. Pepper won the special...
Criminal defense attorney Stephanie Fakih running for State House seat covering Bloomfield, Auburn Hills, Lake Orion
April 17th, 20220 BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP — Criminal defense attorney and Bloomfield Township Trustee Stephanie Fakih has announced her candidacy for the newly drawn 54th State House District. That district covers Bloomfield Township, Bloomfield Hills, Auburn Hills, Orion Township, Lake Orion and part of Oakland Township. Fakih is a criminal defense......
Clerks Garrett and Darany: Get the translation done
April 16th, 20220 On March 22, the Dearborn City Council unanimously passed a resolution requiring ballot translation to any language spoken by more than 10,000 residents (or 5 percent of the population, whichever criteria is met first). The resolution also calls for implementation to start as early as the August primary election. This was a historical...
Wayne County Clerk Cathy Garrett appears at Dearborn Council meeting to comment on election translation efforts
April 16th, 20220 DEARBORN - Wayne County Clerk Cathy Garrett appeared at the Dearborn City Council meeting this week to give her input, in public, to the city’s present language access efforts. The Council passed a resolution in March, brought forth by Councilman Mustapha Hammoud, that sought to ensure ballots and other election materials would be......
Secretary of State says Dearborn has authority to expand voting access by translating election materials
April 1st, 20220 DEARBORN — An effort to bring federally guaranteed language access to Dearborn’s multilingual population continues to see resistance. Last week, the Dearborn City Council passed a resolution, brought forth by Councilman Mustapha Hammoud, that sought to ensure ballots and other election materials would be translated into multiple...Jeff Pepper wins Democratic special primary for 15th District state representative amid low voter turnout
March 1st, 20220 DEARBORN — In a special primary election propelled by absentee voting on the west side of Dearborn, Jeff Pepper beat out Alabas Farhat (3,590 to 2,778) to be the Democratic candidate for state representative for the 15th House District. Pepper, a local attorney, will now face Republican Ginger Shearer, formerly known as Virginia......
