Suburban Harvey Mayor Eric Kellogg faces five challengers in Tuesday's election after a term rife with controversy.
Kellogg seeks a fourth term this year, but he almost missed his chance to run for re-election, according to the Chicago Tribune. The newspaper recently uncovered millions of dollars in unpaid bills for water service from Chicago, among other fiscal mismanagement issues. He regained his spot on the ballot after finally paying off long-overdue fines.
Challenging Kellogg are Ronald Cummings, Albert Abney, Terry Brown, Anthony McCaskill and Charles Givines.
The Rev. Ronald Cummings is a former mayoral candidate and a minister who heads the nonprofit Last Call for God's Love Development Center. Cummings wants greater leadership within the Harvey Police Department and touts his role in rehabilitating young men and helping them improve their lives, according to the Tribune.
Albert Abney is a Navy veteran who has worked in the Department of Veteran Affairs for the past three years. If elected mayor, Abney would focus on demolishing or revitalizing abandoned homes, turning residential spaces into parks, installing citywide wi-fi and creating a more transparent government, according to his website.
A fire broke out at Abney's campaign office March 13, which fire officials deemed suspicious. The mayoral candidate said his office had also been vandalized the day before and some campaign posters defaced with spray paint.
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Terry Brown is a first-time mayoral candidate who ran an unsuccessful campaign for 3rd ward alderman in 2011. Brown does not have a campaign website, and little information is available about his platform.
Anthony McCaskill, the executive director of the nonprofit Human Development Center, challenged Kellogg in 2007 as well, but he fell drastically short of a victory. McCaskill's background includes a stint with Americorps and nonprofit work dealing with seniors and youth in Cook County. If elected mayor, he would work on strengthening law enforcement, improving fiscal responsibility and providing job opportunities for people of all skill levels, according to his website.
Charles Givines, who goes by "Chuck," is a U.S. Army veteran, local businessman, retired police officer and community activist. He also challenged Kellogg in 2011. As mayor, Givines said he would focus first and foremost on the Police Department and enforce community policing.
