A video of Hamtramck, Michigan, mayor Muhith Mahmood stumbling through his oath of office is blowing up online—just as local TV reporting says his razor‑thin win was settled by 37 absentee ballots and a 12‑vote margin.
What the clip shows, per the source
The Western Journal published the swearing‑in video and described Mahmood repeating the oath “robotically” in heavily accented English and mangling the closing line. We have not independently reviewed the full recording.
How the race was decided
Detroit’s WXYZ‑TV reported—per Western Journal’s summary—that a year of court fights over 37 absentee ballots ultimately determined the contest by 12 votes.
Why it’s blowing up online
Conservative accounts on X amplified the clip while alleging broader problems. One post from Eric Daugherty on Nov. 9 claimed 37 mail‑in ballots were “discovered” to flip the race and said Mahmood could “hardly speak English.” Another viral account on Nov. 10 tied the outcome to “mass immigration + broken elections.” These are the posters’ characterizations and opinions, not established findings.
Local backdrop, via prior TV reporting
WXYZ‑TV previously reported that Hamtramck—a small city within Detroit—has an entirely Muslim city council and significant Bangladeshi and Yemeni immigrant communities, according to Western Journal. The outlet also notes Mahmood is Bangladeshi‑American and outgoing mayor Adam Alharbi is Yemeni‑American.
What we can and can’t confirm
The vote totals and absentee‑ballot litigation are attributed to WXYZ‑TV in Western Journal’s write‑up; we have not reviewed the court records. The viral posts cited above present opinions and allegations, not proof. The video description is Western Journal’s characterization.
