Flint City Council member Leon El-Alamin has been charged with election law false swearing, or perjury, after prosecutors allege he lied about his residency to qualify for the council seat during his re-election campaign. El-Alamin, 45, was arraigned earlier this month and released on a $5,000 personal recognizance bond, according to Flint Councilman Charged With Domestic Assault Now Faces Election Fraud Charge — mlive.com. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison and removal from the November ballot.

Explainer Election Integrity in America: Safeguarding Voter Trust and Ballot Security

The case highlights ongoing scrutiny of Michigan's election processes and candidate vetting, as the state continues to face national attention over election integrity concerns.

El-Alamin, a prominent community activist and founder of the MADE Institute, is accused of falsely claiming in April 2025 that he resided within Flint city limits. Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton told ABC 12 that El-Alamin was actually living in Mt. Morris Township. Police reports state that a tenant at the Flint address listed on El-Alamin's affidavit told investigators the councilman did not live there but was the landlord.

Details of the Charges

The official complaint originated nearly two years ago, when Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson’s office received an allegation of wrongdoing. El-Alamin is expected to appear for a preliminary hearing, and if found guilty, would be disqualified from the upcoming ballot. He did not respond to a request for comment from The Federalist left at the MADE Institute, but told MLive.com he is "confident that he will be cleared of any wrongdoing."

"Whether intentional or not, these repeated accusations have become a political distraction that shifts attention away from the real issues our residents and neighbors are facing."

— Leon El-Alamin, Flint City Council member

El-Alamin added that he believes in the rule of law and due process, and will continue to defend himself through the legal process.

In addition to the election fraud charge, El-Alamin awaits an October trial on a felony charge of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder, and a misdemeanor domestic violence charge. Police arrested him last year after his then-girlfriend alleged he choked and caused lacerations on her face. El-Alamin has pleaded not guilty to all charges, including a habitual offender count.

Councilmember Jerri Winfrey-Carter has publicly called for El-Alamin’s removal, citing the survivor’s detailed statement describing a "brutal and terrifying assault." Winfrey-Carter wrote on Facebook, "Her courage to speak out in the face of trauma is commendable, and I stand with her."

El-Alamin’s background includes a 2003 conviction for drug and weapons charges, for which he served part of a 12-20 year sentence. He later founded the MADE Institute to assist former inmates and at-risk youth. El-Alamin was also a beneficiary of Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s Clean Slate Act, which expunges criminal records for certain ex-convicts. Whitmer’s office did not respond to a request for comment from The Federalist.

Broader Election Integrity Concerns

The charges against El-Alamin come as Michigan faces renewed scrutiny over election integrity. Last week, President Donald Trump said in a national address that he asked FBI Director Kash Patel to investigate a voter registration scheme in Muskegon, Michigan, involving potentially thousands of fraudulent signatures. Trump stated he had declassified intelligence documents related to the FBI’s investigation.

According to The Federalist, the Muskegon case involved as many as 10,000 suspicious or forged voter registration forms submitted before the 2020 election. Former employees told FBI agents they were incentivized to submit multiple applications, sometimes trading marijuana or money for registrations. Despite the findings, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel did not pursue charges, and the Michigan State Police said the irregular registrations did not result in absentee ballots or impact any election.

Republicans in the Michigan House introduced articles of impeachment against Nessel in 2023, alleging she failed to prosecute those responsible for the fraudulent registrations. The Michigan State Police, which worked with Nessel’s office, stated that all resulting registrations had been voided.

El-Alamin’s preliminary hearing on the election fraud charge is scheduled as his legal and political future remains uncertain.

The Bottom Line

  • Leon El-Alamin faces felony election fraud charges and a separate assault trial while seeking re-election to the Flint City Council.
  • If convicted, El-Alamin could face up to five years in prison and removal from the November ballot.
  • Michigan officials, including Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and AG Dana Nessel, have not commented on El-Alamin’s case or broader election fraud concerns.