What the ballot will look like for the February primary and April general election in Harvey is still up in the air following an electoral board hearing Tuesday, according to the city clerk.
Just one of five objections to candidates running next year was decided after the hearing, while others were postponed to later this month, according to Rosa Arambula, city clerk, who sat on the electoral board.
A challenge to Kenneth “Ken” Henderson, a candidate for alderman in the 4th Ward, was rejected and he will remain on the ballot, Arambula said Tuesday.
The city received five challenges to candidate filings, but none in the two races where there will be a primary Feb. 28.
Objections were filed to petitions of mayoral candidates Anthony McCaskill, former board president for the Harvey Park District, and 2nd Ward Ald. Marshun Tolbert.
Those objections will be heard later this month, with the electoral board scheduling hearings for Dec. 19, 21 and 22, Arambula said.
If the objections are not upheld, McCaskill and Tolbert would face off in the April 4 election against first-term Mayor Christopher Clark.
Clark, a general practice attorney, is former alderman in Harvey’s 3rd Ward.
In the city’s 1st Ward, incumbent Ald. Shirley Drewenski and Charles Givines both filed to run, but a challenge was filed to Givines’ petitions by Donald Drewenski, according to the city clerk. It is one of the objections deferred until later this month.
Harvey has primary elections in February if there are at least four candidates running, as a result of a ballot initiative organized by Clark, with Harvey’s first primary taking place in 2019.
That rule would result in primaries in the city’s 2nd and 3rd wards, according to the clerk.
In the 2nd Ward, Tolbert did not file for reelection, with six people looking to replace him: Albert Abney, Melvin Bond, Colby Chapman, Antonia McBride, Angelette Taylor and Yarif Vhora. Tolbert was elected alderman in 2019.
In the 3rd Ward, Ald. Quinton Crudup is not seeking reelection. Vying to replace him are Mauzkie Ervin, Myra Gardner, Shahnawaz Hasan, Jeffery Maxey, Bonnie Rateree and Telanee Smith, according to petitions filed with Harvey’s city clerk.
All of the city’s elected positions, including clerk and treasurer, are up for election or reelection.
Arambula filed for reelection as clerk along with challengers Joyce Brown and Monique Williams. Felicia Powell Johnson also filed to run for clerk, according to the main page of her petitions, but inside pages indicated she is running for treasurer. A challenge has been filed to her running for both positions based on the discrepancy.
A challenge to Johnson’s nominating petitions that was due to be heard Tuesday was also delayed until later this month, Arambula said.
In the 4th Ward, Ald. Tracy Key is seeking reelection, and filed the objection to Henderson’s petitions, according to the clerk.
