Meet Harvey’s 2027 mayoral candidates

Mayor Chris Clark passed away in January, an unexpected state of affairs that spurred a frenzy amongst Harvey’s politicos, with one question in mind: who will become the city’s acting mayor, and how will that shape the 2027 City Council race?

Shirley Drewenski was named acting mayor in February. But the longtime 1st Ward alderwoman, who served on City Council for 15 years now, is retiring. That effectively leaves the mayor’s seat for the taking. Drewenski backed former alderman Marshun Tolbert, re-entering the city’s political arena. Ald. Colby Chapman (2nd) tossed her hat into the ring, a flashpoint in an anti-establishment tenure. Anthony McCaskill, known for his family’s control of the park and library boards, is making his fourth bid for mayor. 

A Feb. 23 primary election is possible. Seniors remain Harvey’s most active voting bloc, and Clark’s base of supporters now looks for a new political home. To rise above their competitors, the next mayor will likely need to mobilize and drive inactive voters to the polls, such as young people and those disaffected with Southland politics, to comfortably make — and win — an April runoff.

The challenges for Harvey’s next mayor run the gamut: horrible fiscal health, businesses fleeing, stubborn de-population, abandoned properties, gun violence, and rampant police corruption. Here are the candidates who filed to take those issues head-on.

Anthony McCaskill

Anthony McCaskill currently serves as president of the Harvey Public Library District. In Dixmoor, he works as both the human resources director and city treasurer. He ran unsuccessful campaigns for City Clerk in 2011, mayor in 2015, 2019, and 2023, and Harvey School District 152 in 2025. 

McCaskill is a longtime businessman, founding the South Suburban Region Black Chamber of Commerce and Industry on 143rd St. and Wood St. in Dixmoor. His family runs both the park district and library, where both have been criticized for nepotism. The board paid his wife Cook County Commissioner Kisha McCaskill (5th) over $30,000 to consult for the library, and daughter Amari is secretary. McCaskill has also received criticism of his leadership as president, which has led to a-now settled lawsuit alleging Americans with Disabilities Act violations, unlawfully vacating a library trustee seat, and corruption allegations. 

Political allyships: Joyce V. Brown, Kisha McCaskill, Aaron McCaskill, Amari McCaskill, Angelette Taylor
See McCaskill’s election packet here.

Colby Chapman

Colby Chapman has served as Harvey’s 2nd Ward Alderwoman since 2023 and sits on the public safety committee with 4th Ward Alderman Tracy Key. She spearheaded the creation of and chaired the economic development committee. Now deceased mayor Chris Clark re-organized the committees and booted Chapman after she began sounding the alarm on ethical lapses and questionable spending. She previously worked in education, holds a bachelor’s degree in criminology and a master’s degree in education. Chapman is the founder of PennyUp, a financial literacy nonprofit geared toward young people.

The alderwoman was an outspoken critic of former mayor Chris Clark. She was arrested four times during the Clark administration, one moments after she announced her Mayoral campaign. Chapman said the arrests were a form of political retaliation. All charges were dropped by the Cook County State Attorney’s Office. The deceased Mayor also attempted to censure her, along with Ald. Tracy Key (4th) and city treasurer Aisha Pickett after they held a workshop on financial literacy, but the censure was withdrawn.

Political allyships: Glynis James-Watson, Sharron McGee, Mauzkie Ervin, Tracy Key, Amanda Askew, Melville King, Jr.
See Chapman’s election packet here. 

Angelette Taylor

Angelette Taylor currently serves as Vice President of Harvey Public Library’s Board of Trustees. She was first appointed to the board after a death and a resignation left two trustee seats open, then ran for the role in 2025. She ran an unsuccessful campaign for 2nd Ward Alderperson in 2023. 

Taylor helped cast the decisive vote that resulted in former library trustee Chapelle Hooks being replaced from her board treasurer role. Hooks had just reported then-library consultant Kisha McCaskill, married to board president Anthony McCaskill, to regional law enforcement for allegedly committing ghost payroll, and was ousted from her board role in retaliation. Taylor was also named in a now settled lawsuit against the library board for alleged Americans with Disabilities Act violations. 

Political allyships: Anthony McCaskill
See Taylor’s election packet here. 

Terry Brown

Terry Brown unsuccessfully ran campaigns for Harvey’s 3rd Ward in 2022, mayor in 2015, and Illinois State Senate in 2018. 

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

Marshun Tolbert

Marshun Tolbert ran an unsuccessful campaign for Harvey Public Library District trustee in 2017 before ascending to City Council in 2019. Tolbert served the 2nd Ward as the city’s youngest alderperson in Harvey history. He is a registered lobbyist in Illinois and works as a government liaison for the Magnificent Mile Association.

Tolbert joined alds. Dominique Randle-El (5th) and Tyrone Rogers (6th) in successfully fighting the Clark administration’s liquor ordinance, which resulted in the reduction of operating hours for establishments serving alcohol. He chaired the legislative committee, but was criticized for infrequent meetings.

Tolbert launched a mayoral bid in 2023. He finished in last place. His name will be removed from the ballot unless he pays $6,080 in fees to the Illinois State Board of Elections after he failed to properly complete state-mandated campaign finance reports. He is backed by outgoing acting mayor Shirley Drewenski, who is retiring and sat next to Tolbert when they served on the council together.

Political allyships: Tyrone Rogers, Telanee Smith, Rosa Arambula, Donald Drewenski, Shirley Drewenski
See Tolbert’s election packet here.

Lonnie Harrison, Jr.

Lonnie Harrison, Jr. is the founding pastor of Refuge Church on 147th St. and Page Ave. It has other locations in Chicago’s West Pullman neighborhood at 129th St. and Halsted St. He has formerly served as Harvey’s director of building and planning under the Clark administration.

Some contest Harrison, Jr.’s Harvey residency. In 2024, Harrison, Jr. purchased a home on 150th St., a stone’s throw away from Thornton, county records show. But, a now dissolved transportation nonprofit associated with Harrison, Jr. was registered to a residential address in Crete, state records show. Local politicos have even suggested he resides in Chicago.

Competitor Nicole Gooden is currently suing Harrison, Jr., acting mayor Shirley Drewenski, and the city in a federal lawsuit alleging the parties violated the Americans with Disabilities Act as Gooden struggles to get water serviced at her Harvey home. His petitions were largely circulated by Oak Forest and Chicago residents.

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

Nicole Gooden

Nicole Gooden is a real estate broker and paralegal currently pursuing her law degree at Purdue Global Law School, according to her campaign website. In May, Gooden filed a federal lawsuit against Harvey, naming acting mayor Shirley Drewenski and former director of building and planning Lonnie Harrison, Jr., who has also filed for mayor, alleging Harvey violated the Americans for Disabilities Act. 

Gooden describes herself as a “Naperville homeowner” and has returned to run for mayor. “I realized I was part of the problem because I left and didn’t return,” she wrote on her website. “Now, it’s time for me to do more for Harvey.” Upon return, she has struggled to get water serviced at her home, alleging city employees will not turn water on in retaliation for launching a mayoral bid.

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