Shammas Malik

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Shammas Malik

| image = MayorElectMalikNov2023.jpg

| caption = Malik in 2023

| office1 = 63rd Mayor of Akron

| termstart1 = January 1, 2024

| predecessor1 = Dan Horrigan

| office2 = Member of the Akron City Council-Ward 8

| termstart2 = January 1, 2020

| termend2 = November 7, 2023

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1991|4|10}}

| birth_place = Akron, Ohio, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| constituency =

| party = Democratic

| profession = Lawyer

| website = {{URL|www.togetherforakron.com/}}

| education = Ohio State University
Harvard Law School (JD)

| spouse = Alice Malik

}}

Shammas Iqbal Qammar Malik (born April 10, 1991) is an American lawyer and politician who is currently serving as the 63rd mayor of Akron, Ohio since January 1, 2024. He previously served as the city councilor of Ward 8 from January 1, 2020, until November 7, 2023. He was an assistant director of the Akron Law Department from 2016 to 2018.

Life

Shammas Iqbal Qammar Malik was born and raised in Ward 8, Northwest Akron, Ohio in a Muslim family.{{Cite web |last=Mills |first=Emily |date=May 3, 2023 |title=Who is Shammas Malik? Meet Akron's new presumptive mayor |url=https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/news/politics/elections/2023/05/03/who-is-shammas-malik-akron-new-presumptive-mayor-results-marco-sommerville-tara-mosley/70177557007/ |access-date=2023-05-18 |website=Akron Beacon Journal |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=May 11, 2023 |title=How Shammas Malik's Akron upbringing shaped the city's |url=https://www.beaconjournal.com/restricted/?return=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.beaconjournal.com%2Fstory%2Fnews%2Fpolitics%2F2023%2F05%2F11%2Fwho-akron-future-mayor-shammas-malik-parents-mother-university-professor-father-prison-harvard-law%2F70179776007%2F |url-access=subscription |access-date=2023-05-18 |website=Akron Beacon Journal}} He is of Pakistani descent.{{Cite web |last=Huntsman |first=Anna |last2=Marshall |first2=Abbey |last3=Bottar |first3=Abigail |date=2023-05-03 |title=Shammas Malik wins Akron mayoral primary, in line to be the first person of color as mayor |url=https://www.ideastream.org/government-politics/2023-05-02/shammas-malik-wins-akron-mayoral-primary-in-line-to-be-the-first-person-of-color-as-mayor |access-date=2023-05-18 |website=Ideastream Public Media |language=en}} His mother, Helen Qammar, was a chemical engineering professor at the University of Akron.. In 2009, he graduated from Firestone High School with an International Baccalaureate Diploma.{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Cassaundra |date=2020-01-09 |title=Malik bringing younger perspective to City Council |url=https://www.akron.com/articles/malik-bringing-younger-perspective-to-city-council/ |access-date=2023-05-18 |website=Akron.com}} He earned dual bachelor's degrees in political science and international studies from the Ohio State University in 2013. Malik completed a J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School in 2016. During law school, he completed several summer internships in Washington, D.C., including at The Pentagon.

Career

=Akron Law Department=

From 2016 to 2018, Malik was an assistant director of the Akron Law Department.{{Cite web |last=Livingston |first=Doug |date=May 18, 2023 |title=Most of presumptive Mayor Shammas Malik's transition team didn't work his campaign |url=https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/news/politics/2023/05/18/akrons-presumptive-next-mayor-shammas-malik-names-transition-team-carter-lile-dejournett-oleary/70231414007/ |access-date=2023-05-18 |website=Akron Beacon Journal |language=en-US}} For almost a year, he worked as an associate at Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease.

=Akron City Council=

File:Shammas Malik at 2021 MPAC Virtual Convention (cropped).png

In the 2019 Akron City Council Ward 8 Democratic primary on May 7, 2019, Malik won the nomination, prevailing over Curtis T. Walker, Sr. On November 5, 2019, Malik was elected, defeating Republican Brian N. Fortney. He started his term on January 1, 2020, succeeding Marilyn Keith. In the role, he advocated for a civilian oversight board for the Akron Police Department. He served on four council committees, Public Safety, Budget and Finance, Parks and Recreation, and Rules.{{Cite web |title=Shammas Malik {{!}} Akron City Council |url=https://www.akroncitycouncil.org/members/shammas-malik |access-date=2023-05-18 |website=www.akroncitycouncil.org}}

{{Election box begin no change

| title = May 7, 2019 primary-City of Akron Ward 8 Council{{cite web |title=May 7, 2019 Primary/Special Election Results |publisher=Summit County Board of Elections |access-date=November 9, 2023 |url=https://www.boe.ohio.gov/summit/c/elecres/elect050719ps.htm}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Shammas Malik

| party = Ohio Democratic Party

| votes = 2,058

| percentage = 80.64

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Curtis T. Walker, Sr.

| party = Ohio Democratic Party

| votes = 494

| percentage = 19.36

}}

{{Election box begin no change

| title = November 5, 2019 general election- City of Akron Ward 8 Council{{cite web |title=November 5, 2019 General Election Results |publisher=Summit County Board of Elections |access-date=November 9, 2023 |url=https://www.boe.ohio.gov/summit/c/elecres/elect110519G.htm}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Shammas Malik

| party = Ohio Democratic Party

| votes = 3,815

| percentage = 73.37

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Brian N. Fortney

| party = Ohio Republican Party

| votes = 1,385

| percentage = 26.63

}}

=2023 mayoral election=

In the 2023 Akron mayoral Democratic primary on May 2, 2023, Malik won the nomination, prevailing in a field of seven candidates. In May, he announced his transition team. In the 2023 Akron mayoral election on November 7, 2023 he was duly elected as the mayor of Akron.

{{Election box begin no change

| title = May 2, 2023 primary{{cite web |title=May 2, 2023 Primary/Special Election Results |publisher=Summit County Board of Elections |access-date=May 5, 2023 |url=https://liveresults.boe.ohio.gov/ENR/summitohenr/7/en/Index_7.html}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Shammas Malik

| party = Ohio Democratic Party

| votes = 8,303

| percentage = 43.15

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Marco Sommerville

| party = Ohio Democratic Party

| votes = 4,944

| percentage = 25.70

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Tara Mosley

| party = Ohio Democratic Party

| votes = 3,361

| percentage = 17.47

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Jeff Wilhite

| party = Ohio Democratic Party

| votes = 1,549

| percentage = 8.05

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Mark Greer

| party = Ohio Democratic Party

| votes = 816

| percentage = 4.24

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Keith Mills

| party = Ohio Democratic Party

| votes = 143

| percentage = 0.74

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Joshua Schaffer

| party = Ohio Democratic Party

| votes = 124

| percentage = 0.64

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 19,240

| percentage = 100.00

}}

{{Election box begin no change

| title = November 7, 2023 general election{{cite web|url=https://liveresults.boe.ohio.gov/ENR/summitohenr/10/en/Index_10.html|title=November 7, 2023 General Election Results (Unofficial)|access-date=November 8, 2023}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|candidate=Shammas Malik|party=Ohio Democratic Party|votes=12,603|percentage=96.73}}{{Election box write-in with party link no change|votes=426|percentage=3.27}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 13,029

| percentage = 100}}