Highland Park’s next political brawl is officially on. Three candidates have opened campaign committees for mayor, setting up a fall race that will decide who runs the small city’s government. Incumbent Mayor Glenda McDonald is seeking another term, while community organizers Shamayim “Mama Shu” Harris and Joshua Lamere have also filed, kicking off a contest that will unfold alongside races for five council seats and other city offices.
According to the Michigan Chronicle, the Wayne County Clerk has received campaign committee filings from McDonald, Harris and Lamere. The Chronicle reports that candidates must submit their final paperwork by 4 p.m. on April 21, 2026. Those filings will lock in the lineup for a local election season that includes contests for mayor, five council members, city clerk and city treasurer.
Election schedule and deadlines
The state primary is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026, with the general election set for Nov. 3, according to the League of Women Voters. Those dates set the outer boundaries for Highland Park’s primary and general election contests in this cycle.
What McDonald points to
Mayor Glenda McDonald, a Highland Park resident since 1971, is highlighting a series of visible, nuts-and-bolts projects from her tenure: a hot-meal program for seniors, nearly $1 million secured for recreation center upgrades and a completed segment of the Joe Louis Greenway. The city’s official website lists McDonald as mayor, and local coverage has tracked the administration’s push for solar-powered streetlights and other infrastructure work under her leadership (City of Highland Park, ClickOnDetroit).
Mama Shu's community work
Shamayim “Mama Shu” Harris built her public profile from the ground up, literally, on Avalon Street. She is the founder of Avalon Village, an eco-village of community spaces that includes a Homework House, marketplace and garden. The Avalon Village site and local reporting note that her block-by-block revitalization work drew national attention, and she was named one of CNN’s Top 10 Heroes in 2023, putting her squarely in the spotlight as she weighs a bid for the mayor’s office (FOX 2 Detroit).
Campaign cash and context
McDonald’s campaign reported raising about $1,200 in the most recent reporting period and finishing that cycle with $587 on hand. The Michigan Chronicle reports that Wayne County records show her operation has been largely self-funded. The outlet also noted that court challenges in 2022 left McDonald as the only printed name on the ballot, prompting several residents to run as write-in candidates that year. That recent history helps explain why community leaders are stepping into the 2026 field early rather than waiting for any last-minute drama.
What to watch next
Anyone planning to run must register a committee and file the required paperwork with the Wayne County Clerk at the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center in Detroit, where local election filings are processed, according to BridgeDetroit. With the April 21 filing deadline on the horizon, Highland Park residents can expect more names, more yard signs and more campaigning in the run-up to the Aug. 4 primary and the Nov. 3 general election.
