Dearborn Mayor November 2 Election Candidate Guide

Voters head to the polls on November 2 to cast their votes for local leaders, ballot proposals and more. 

Get to know the candidates running for local office in your community with 101.9 FM WDET’s Candidate Guides. Surveys were distributed to candidates to complete and you can see the responses for candidates for Dearborn Mayor below.

See a full list of races covered here.

Related Race: Dearborn City Council

Mohamed Al-Mawla

Abdullah Hammoud

Age: 31

Current job: State Representative for District 15, Dearborn

Education: I earned a Bachelor’s in Science from the University of Michigan-Dearborn, a Master’s in Public Health from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, and a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business.

About Abdullah Hammoud: I am currently serving my third term in the Michigan House of Representatives, representing the city of Dearborn, my hometown. As a proud son of immigrant parents, I learned the value of hard work and community. From serving tables at the Henry Ford Village to sweeping the floors at my father’s local grocery store, I understand the stories and struggles of working families. I am the proud husband of Dr. Fatima Beydoun, a physician and frontline hero at a local health system. We are homeowners in the city and hope to grow our family here. 

During my time in Lansing, I have been recognized as an economic development champion for my work in support of small businesses, a healthcare champion of hope for my work to increase access to quality care, and a leader in the fight to protect our land, air, and water. From volunteering at community cleanups to advocating to raise awareness for mental health conditions, I have consistently given back to the community that fostered my growth and success.

Why are you running for Dearborn Mayor? Recently, I ran into my friends, Mike and Sarah, at a local coffee shop. They were born and raised in this community, attended schools here, and always imagined growing their family here, but they moved to Livonia, citing Dearborn is not what it used to be. The truth is, they’re not wrong. Over the last ten years, property taxes and water rates have gone up, and the number of traffic incidents have skyrocketed, creating dangerous roadways in our neighborhoods for our families. 

I’m running to be Dearborn’s next Mayor because we need someone who fights for working families and keeps them here. My administration will make it a priority to lower our property taxes and enhance city services, to protect our community from reckless drivers and to guide our economic recovery to build back stronger than ever. We will bring bold and trusted leadership to the Mayor’s office. As the only campaign with a real vision for our city, my team and I wanted to show you our blueprint for Dearborn. For more details on my campaign’s policies, check out votehammoud.com/issues. We need your help to move Dearborn forward.

“I’m running to be Dearborn’s next Mayor because we need someone who fights for working families and keeps them here. My administration will make it a priority to lower our property taxes and enhance city services, to protect our community from reckless drivers and to guide our economic recovery to build back stronger than ever.” — Abdullah Hammoud

What is the most important issue facing Dearborn? There are countless issues to tackle within the city – all equally important- but, as Mayor, we will first work to establish a line of communication with residents and ensure an accessible, trusted, and capable team is built to move our city forward. We will then work to bring forward solutions to lower property taxes and enhance city services, make our roads and neighborhoods safer from reckless drivers, improve our air and water quality, and provide stronger support for our small businesses.

How would you address that issue? Dearborn levies some of the highest local taxes in Wayne County, yet for Dearborn to prosper and compete with neighboring communities, we must find a solution that brings relief to our families’ pockets while supporting them in the process. My team and I have thought carefully about how to maintain Dearborn’s current budget without increasing property taxes, while ensuring that city services and long-term infrastructure projects are funded. We have put forth a five-part solution to reduce property taxes, generate new city dollars, and enhance city operations. A thorough explanation of my plan is outlined at votehammoud.com/issues.

What actions/decisions by the current mayoral administration or city council have you disagreed with? Our current administration has not placed an emphasis on transparency and accountability with the community at large. I will change that. We will make available information and resources in multiple languages, hold town halls and coffee hours across our city, and meet people where they are — that is accessible leadership. While canvassing across our city, we have heard that people feel as if their neighborhood does not receive the same attention and resources as others do. As Mayor, I will ensure equitable resources across the board, as well as improve communication to increase understanding of city operations.

Gary Woronchak

Candidate did not respond to survey request. Visit his campaign website.