By ZEINAB NAJM
Times-Herald Newspapers
HEIGHTS — Mayor Bill Bazzi will remain in his position after winning both the partial and full terms Nov. 2.
He received more votes than Council Chairwoman Denise Malinowski-Maxwell in both races on the general election ballot. The partial terms ends Dec. 31 of this year with the regular term being from Jan. 1, 2022 through Dec. 31, 2025.
Bazzi was selected to complete the term of the late Mayor Daniel Paletko Jan. 26 and had been serving as mayor since. Paletko died due to complications from COVID-19 on Dec. 29, 2020.
In the partial term race Bazzi received 5,822 votes with Malinowski-Maxwell receiving 2,130 votes. In the full term race Bazzi received 5,958 votes to Malinowski-Maxwell’s 2,280 votes.
“I am honored and humbled to be elected by the people as mayor of Dearborn Heights,” Bazzi wrote on Facebook. “I am overwhelmed by the outpour of support that I received from family, friends, amazing volunteers of all ages, and our residents at large. Our community will continue to rise together as we collectively propel our great city forward.”
Two new faces will join the City Council with four full term seats open on the ballot. Councilmen Bob Constan and Tom Wencel finished first and second with 4,860 and 4,715 votes, respectively, with newcomers Nancy Byer and Hassan Ahmad receiving 4,546 and 4,082 votes, respectively.
Rachel LaPointe finished fifth with 3,918 votes, followed by Councilman Zouher Abdel-Hak with 2,425.
Councilman Mo Baydoun won the race for the two-year term over former Councilman Ned Apigian, 5,326 votes to 2,182.
A third race for a partial term ending Dec. 31, 2021 received 1,058 write-in votes but did not have any candidate names on the ballot. Results won’t be known until the Wayne County Board of Canvassers reviews and verifies the votes
(Zeinab Najm can be reached at [email protected].)