Meet Harvey’s 2027 2nd Ward candidates

Downtown Harvey once boomed. Now, it’s busted. And the nearby residential area surrounding it is challenged by stray dogs and burned out properties.

Still, the 2nd Ward is arguably the most powerful and influential. It covers the largest geographic area while home to civic and cultural institutions like City Hall, Harvey Park District headquarters, the Center for Islamic Teaching and Community Development, and the Harvey Public Library District. 

Comely bungalows, terra cottas, and historic prairie kit homes line 150th St. and 155th St. The Pace / Metra station will undergo a $75 million upgrade. With that, however, comes land value speculators. In recent years, longtime homeowners have dealt with real estate interests calling their homes and knocking on their doors asking to buy their properties.

The 2nd Ward spans from 152nd St. to the I-294 tri-state tollway at 171st St., north to south; Halsted St. to Ashland Ave., east to west along the rail corridor. Its next leader will be faced with crime displacement from Chicago, an opioid epidemic, residential fires, absentee property owners and abandoned homes, and supporting business development downtown Harvey.

Here’s who filed to steward Harvey’s challenged economic core.

Albert Abney

Albert Abney is a veteran. In 2015, his Harvey mayoral campaign headquarters on 159th St. was vandalized and burned down, which investigators suspected was due to arson. He finished in fourth place. He also unsuccessfully ran for Harvey School District 152 board member in 2017, South Suburban College trustee in 2021, and 2nd Ward alderman in 2023.

Political allyships: Undetermined
See Abney’s election packet here.

Diamond Lee

Diamond Lee is a Harvey native from the 2nd Ward. She is the granddaughter of former city clerk Nancy Clark, who served from 2007 to 2019, and interned in her office during college. Lee used the very same clipboard her grandmother used to collect signatures as she went out to collect her own, she said on Facebook. She holds a bachelor’s degree in public relations from Clark Atlanta University.

Lee previously worked at the Harvey library, Harvey Boxing Club, and in health insurance helping seniors navigate Medicare. She currently works for United Airlines. Lee unsuccessfully ran for city clerk in 2019 but was booted from the ballot by Shirley Drewenski’s political allies.

Political allyships: Undetermined
See Lee’s election packet here.

Ryan Sinwelski

Ryan Sinwelski is an East Hazel Crest native, former Thornton Township High School French teacher, realtor, content creator, and advocate for architectural preservation. Sinwelski runs the Harvey Historical Society Facebook page and has been critical of the City Council.

He dubbed the term “alder yesmen,” a snub at alds. Telanee Smith (3rd), Dominique Randle-El (5th), Tyrone Rogers (6th), and acting mayor and former longtime 1st Ward alderwoman Shirley Drewenski for their political alignment with now deceased mayor Chris Clark.

He was initially a Clark supporter and served on the city’s planning and zoning commission. But he fell out with Clark after the city demolished properties on Broadway Ave. across from City Hall. Sinwelski was arrested during a City Council meeting in June 2025. Sinwelski unsuccessfully ran for Harvey School District 152 board member in 2017 and 2025.

Political allyships: Undetermined
See Sinwelski’s election packet here.