Four seats on the Dearborn Public Schools Board of Education will be up for election in November 2026. The current board consists of Vice President Nasri Sobh (left), Trustees Mary Petlichkoff and Adel Mozip, President Jamal Aljahmi, Treasurer Ali K. Bazzi, Trustee Pat D’Ambrosio, and Secretary Amer Zahr.
DEARBORN — Residents interested in running for the Dearborn Public Schools Board of Education have until 4 p.m. July 21 to file their paperwork with the Dearborn City Clerk.
Four board seats will be up for election on Nov. 3. Three positions are full, six-year terms, and one spot is for a partial, two-year term. Packets with the required paperwork can be picked up at the Clerk’s Office, 16901 Michigan Ave., during regular business hours.
To run for office, candidates need to file a school board candidate affidavit and a nominating petition with at least 40 signatures but not more than 100. Alternatively, a person can pay a $100 fee in lieu of gathering signatures. A notary will be available at the City Clerk’s office to notarize the affidavit.
In the race for full terms, the top three vote getters will win seats, and each newly elected trustee will start their position in January 2027 and serve through December 2032. Those seats are currently held by Trustees Ali K. Bazzi, Adel Mozip, and Mary Petlichkoff.
A separate race will be held for the two-year term. Because the election is for a partial term, the winner will take the seat in mid to late November, after the election results are certified, and then serve through 2028. That seat is currently held by Trustee Nasri Sobh.
Sobh and Bazzi were appointed to the board in September 2025 after the elected trustees resigned their posts.
DPS trustees are unique in Michigan because they also serve as the board of Henry Ford College. They need to stay abreast of issues facing both preschool through high school districts and those for community colleges.
Trustees are responsible for the budget at both institutions and hiring, overseeing, and evaluating the district superintendent and the college president. Trustees are not involved in the day-to-day operations of the district or the college.
To serve on the school board, a person must be at least 18 years of age, a U.S. citizen, and a resident of the district, which covers almost all of Dearborn and a section of Dearborn Heights. (See the district map.) A person is not eligible for election if they have been convicted of certain felonies in the last 20 years.
The Michigan Association of School Boards has a Get On Board Campaign to help those considering running for school board learn more about running for office and the roles and responsibilities of school board members. MASB will host a free webinar on six dates in June and July for would-be board candidates.