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Mariam Bazzi
2025 - Present
2027
0
Mariam Bazzi is a judge of the Michigan 1st District Court of Appeals. She assumed office on May 13, 2025. Her current term ends on January 1, 2027.
Bazzi ran for re-election for judge of the Michigan 3rd Circuit Court. She won in the general election on November 3, 2020.
Gretchen Whitmer (D) appointed Bazzi to Michigan Court of Appeals on April 23, 2025 to replace Noah Hood.[1] Bazzi previously served on the Michigan 3rd Circuit Court from 2017 to 2025. She was appointed to the court by Rick Snyder.[1]
Biography
Bazzi received a bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan and a J.D. from Wayne State University. Her professional experience includes working as an assistant prosecuting attorney in Wayne County and as lead attorney for the Deed and Mortgage Fraud Task Force.[2]
Elections
2020
See also: Municipal elections in Wayne County, Michigan (2020)
General election
General election for Michigan 3rd Circuit Court (15 seats)
The following candidates ran in the general election for Michigan 3rd Circuit Court on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | David Allen (Nonpartisan) | 8.1 | 277,129 | |
| ✔ | Christopher Dingell (Nonpartisan) | 7.9 | 270,736 | |
| ✔ |  | Mariam Bazzi (Nonpartisan) | 7.2 | 247,759 |
| ✔ |  | Cylenthia LaToye Miller (Nonpartisan) | 7.1 | 245,117 |
| ✔ |  | Shannon N. Walker (Nonpartisan) | 7.1 | 244,178 |
| ✔ |  | Noah Hood (Nonpartisan) | 7.0 | 240,683 |
| ✔ | Charlene Elder (Nonpartisan) | 6.8 | 234,985 | |
| ✔ |  | Lynne A. Pierce (Nonpartisan) | 6.5 | 223,044 |
| ✔ | Margaret Van Houten (Nonpartisan) | 6.4 | 220,718 | |
| ✔ | John H. Gillis Jr. (Nonpartisan) | 6.3 | 217,125 | |
| ✔ | Edward Joseph (Nonpartisan) | 6.1 | 210,308 | |
| ✔ | Don Knapp (Nonpartisan) | 6.1 | 208,467 | |
| ✔ | Helal Farhat (Nonpartisan) | 6.1 | 208,083 | |
| ✔ | Carla Testani (Nonpartisan) | 5.8 | 199,957 | |
| ✔ | Lawrence Talon (Nonpartisan) | 5.4 | 187,229 | |
| Total votes: 3,435,518 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Nonpartisan primary election
The primary election was canceled.
2018
Lynn Hawkins ran as a write-in candidate.
General election
Special general election for Michigan 3rd Circuit Court (2 seats)
Incumbent Mariam Bazzi and incumbent Don Knapp won election in the special general election for Michigan 3rd Circuit Court on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Mariam Bazzi (Nonpartisan) | 49.6 | 320,710 |
| ✔ | Don Knapp (Nonpartisan) | 48.5 | 313,478 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 2.0 | 12,655 | ||
| Total votes: 646,843 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Selection method
- See also: Nonpartisan election of judges
The 221 judges of the Michigan Circuit Courts are selected in an identical manner, each serving six-year terms. They are chosen in nonpartisan elections and must face re-election if they wish to continue serving. Candidates are placed on the ballot via nonpartisan primaries or by nominating petitions.[3] Sitting judges who reach age 70 are allowed to serve out the remainder of their term.[4]
Selection of the chief judge
The chief judges of the circuit courts are appointed by the state supreme court to two-year terms.[3]
Qualifications
To be elected to either of these courts, a judge must:[3]
- be a qualified elector of his or her district;
- be licensed to practice law in the state;
- have at least five years of law practice experience; and
- be under the age of 70.
2014
- See also: Dearborn Public Schools elections (2014)
The election in Dearborn featured three at-large seats up for general election on November 4, 2014. Mariam Bazzi, Michael Meade and Mary K. Petlichkoff defeated fellow challengers Michelle Audia, Rodger Bartles, Nofila Haidar, Ahmed Harhara, Mary Anne Hering, Kenneth Jannot Jr., Ghinwah Karkaba and Christopher Robert Paulsen for the seats. Incumbents Pamela Adams, Hussein Berry and James Schoolmaster did not file for re-election.
Results
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan |  Mariam Bazzi |
17.4% | 9,038 | |
| Nonpartisan | Michael Meade |
15.2% | 7,872 | |
| Nonpartisan | Mary K. Petlichkoff |
15% | 7,756 | |
| Nonpartisan | Mary Anne Hering | 9.9% | 5,153 | |
| Nonpartisan | Christopher Robert Paulsen | 9.3% | 4,802 | |
| Nonpartisan | Ghinwah Karkaba | 8.2% | 4,258 | |
| Nonpartisan | Nofila Haidar | 6.6% | 3,399 | |
| Nonpartisan | Rodger Bartles | 6% | 3,121 | |
| Nonpartisan | Kenneth Jannot Jr. | 4.7% | 2,431 | |
| Nonpartisan | Michelle Audia | 4.3% | 2,231 | |
| Nonpartisan | Ahmed Harhara | 3.1% | 1,618 | |
| Nonpartisan | Write-in votes | 0.4% | 200 | |
| Total Votes | 51,879 | |||
| Source: Wayne County Elections Division, "Summary Report," accessed December 29, 2014 | ||||
Funding
Bazzi reported $25,305.00 in contributions and $5,474.75 in expenditures during the election, which left her with $19,830.25 on hand according to the Wayne County Elections Division.[5]
Endorsements
Bazzi received endorsements from the Dearborn Federation of Teachers, Dearborn Mayor John O'Reilly, Dearborn City Council members David Bazzy, Susan Dabaja and Mike Sareini and the Arab American Political Action Committee.[6]
What was at stake?
Issues in the election
September 30 candidate forum
Ten of the 11 candidates who ran for school board appeared at a candidate forum on September 30, 2014, to debate issues confronting the school district. The primary issue up for discussion was how to help recent immigrant students attempting to learn English. Christopher Robert Paulsen said that he would prefer to open a new school specifically for those learning English as a way of ensuring that they would receive additional support, if there were sufficient funds. Former board member Mary K. Petlichkoff criticized the proposal as likely to isolate the students, and indicated that she considers the district's existing program good.
Both Rodger Bartles and Mariam Bazzi agreed that the school district's English teaching programs were already strong. Bartles suggested increasing funding to expand the programs, and Bazzi recommended reaching out to the student's parents to help them learn English, as well. Mary Anne Hering questioned whether the district had enough teachers capable of educating these students, and she proposed bringing in an expert to consult with the district about its programs and ways to improve them. Ahmed Harhara was the only candidate who did not attend the forum.[7]
Campaign themes
2020
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Mariam Bazzi did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 [Bazzi earned her Juris Doctor from Wayne State University Law School and holds a Bachelor of Science in political science from the University of Michigan – Dearborn. Click On Detroit, "Gov. Whitmer makes appointments to Michigan Supreme Court, Court of Appeals," April 23, 2025]
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedappoint - ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Michigan," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ Michigan Daily, "Washtenaw County judge announces early retirement," May 1, 2014
- ↑ Wayne County Elections Division, "View Filed Reports," accessed October 24, 2014
- ↑ Facebook, "Mariam Bazzi for Dearborn Schools," accessed October 26, 2014
- ↑ Press & Guide, "Board candidates discuss issues at forum," October 4, 2014
Federal courts:
Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Michigan, Western District of Michigan • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Michigan, Western District of Michigan
State courts:
Michigan Supreme Court • Michigan Court of Appeals • Michigan Circuit Court • Michigan Court of Claims • Michigan District Courts • Michigan Municipal Courts • Michigan Probate Courts
State resources:
Courts in Michigan • Michigan judicial elections • Judicial selection in Michigan
| 2014 Dearborn Public Schools Elections | |
| Wayne County, Michigan | |
| Election date: | November 4, 2014 |
| Candidates: | At-large: • Michelle Audia • Rodger Bartles • Mariam Bazzi • Nofila Haidar • Ahmed Harhara • Mary Anne Hering • Kenneth Jannot Jr. • Ghinwah Karkaba • Michael Meade • Christopher Robert Paulsen • Mary K. Petlichkoff |
| Important information: | What was at stake? • Key deadlines • Additional elections on the ballot |
