Hamtramck city councilman running for 2 seats in Michigan's August primary

A city councilman in Hamtramck is running for two separate positions in next week's August primary election. It may seem unusual, but it's apparently legal, according to the Michigan Secretary of State's office.

Hamtramck Councilman Mohammed Hassan is running in the Democratic primary for Wayne County Commissioner, 3rd district, and State House representative, 7th district. What happens if he wins both seats?

"If he were to win both offices, he would have to pick one that he wants to advance to for November," said Angela Benander, director of communications and media relations for Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. Benander said what Hassan is doing appears to follow the law. Hassan is listed on the ballot along with three other Democratic candidates for the commissioner seat and is running as a write-in candidate for the state House seat.

"He has filed petitions for a partisan office and to run as a write in for a second," Benander said. "His name cannot be printed on the ballot twice, so since he has filed as a write in for one office and petitions for the other he can legally run for both." He would only be disqualified "if petitions or a filing are filed for both offices, which he hasn't done."

Hassan told the Free Press Monday he would choose the Wayne County Commissioner race if he won both seats, but adds that "I'm not campaigning" for both positions. He said he's running for both of these positions more to keep his name out in the public as he considers running for a state Senate seat in 2026, which he predicted he will win.

In case Hassan wins both seats and then chooses the commissioner seat, it's unclear what would happen in the other race he declined to advance in.

Hassan criticized the current representative for the 9th district that includes Hamtramck, State Rep. Abraham Aiyash, D-Hamtramck, the Majority Floor Leader, for stepping down, claiming Aiyash did so without notifying community leaders in immigrant communities. After redistricting, Hamtramck will now be in the 7th district, the district Hassan is running in. If people in Yemeni American and Bangladeshi American communities had known he was not running for reelection, some would have ran for his position, Hassan said. Hamtramck's two biggest ethnic communities have roots in Yemen and Bangladesh, according to census data.

"Both communities get angry" with Aiyash, Hassan said.

Aiyash did not return an email and a voicemail left with him Monday. He told Gongwer Michigan news service earlier that he plans to run for state Senator in 2026. Because of changes to how long state legislators can serve, he is stepping down so he can run for two full four-terms as state Senator. State legislators can now only serve a total of 12 years combined in the two chambers. Aiyash has served in the House since 2020.

In Facebook posts, Hassan urged his followers to both vote for him for county commissioner and then write-in his last name for state representative.

Michigan voter guide: Key races in state's August primary election

The other 3rd district commissioner seats on the Democratic ballot are incumbent Martha Scott; Mohammed Alsomiri, a Hamtramck city councilman; and Sigmunt Szczepkowski Jr. The state House candidates on the Democratic ballot in the 7th district are Ernest Little, Tonya Meyers Phillips and Abraham Shaw.  Democrats usually win in both of the seats in the November election.

Contact Niraj Warikoo: nwarikoo@freepress.com or X @nwarikoo

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Hamtramck city councilman running for 2 seats in Michigan's August primary