Current Human Relations Commision chair and former Carbondale City Council member Navreet Kang has filed objections against City Council candidates Ginger Rye-Sanders and LaCaje Hill, who are both incumbent councilpersons, and Ryan Reed, a challenger seeking a council seat in the April election. In response, members of the Carbondale community gathered outside of Carbondale City Hall at 5 p.m., Nov. 12, 2024 to protest the objections.

The complaints against the candidates are related to their paperwork; allegedly, each candidate did not provide a statement of economic interest before the required filing date, and none of the candidates had their paperwork securely bound “in book form” pursuant to Illinois state law.

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The Municipal Officers Electoral Board was formed to evaluate the objections and determine whether or not to take action against the candidates, possibly prohibiting them from appearing on the ballot in April. The members of the board are Carbondale Mayor Carolin Harvey, City Clerk Jennifer Sorrell and Councilperson Adam Loos. Their decision will be based on a preponderance of evidence, meaning Kang will have to prove that it is more probable than not that the candidates are in violation of the law.

Protesters saw the objections filed against the candidates as discriminatory, as all three candidates are African American, and Kang has an alleged history of racist comments. According to Councilperson Nancy Maxwell, Kang had made remarks about driving over Black Lives Matter protesters in 2020. Attendees held signs which emphasized “supporting the community” and fighting against right-wing ideology and actions in Carbondale.

One resident who attended the protest was John A. Logan University student Adam A., who asked to be referred to by his last initial.

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“[Kang] has specifically targeted council members that have a large influence over the Black community of Carbondale,” A. said. “We are out here today to push back against that, as well as generally his fascist rhetoric.”

Around 20 members of the Carbondale community attended the protest. They were largely quiet, except for passerby on Walnut St. and Illinois Ave. honking their horns in support, including Rye Sanders. 

Another attendee of the protest was SIU student Dustin K., who asked to be referred to by his last initial.

“For me, why I’m out here is because of community,” K. said. “I think supporting community is really important and that means everyone in the community. That means regardless of  race, religious views, anything.”

He then added, “I think we need to come together and we need to say no to dangerous right-wing policy that is very exclusionary, and I think that there are people trying to shoehorn their way into our community with not the best interests in mind.” 

Many protesters also attended the city council meeting at 6 p.m., and stood in support of Southern Illinois Pride in Action board member Tara Bell, who expressed disapproval for the city’s decision to allow Kaitlynn Wheeler, a trans exclusionary activist to speak at the Carbondale Police Department on Oct. 10, 2024. 

“While I understand the city’s obligation to allow free speech in public forum spaces, it seems such content would  apply to public areas like the parks, the steps of city hall, events within areas rented by the city, and the like,” Bell said. “Hosting a known TERF (trans-exclusionary radical feminist) within a meeting room at the police station which other groups do not have information about or access to rent, gives the impression that the City of Carbondale harbored this speaker and is supporting anti-transgender rhetoric.”

When Bell began to speak on the issue of Kang’s objections, Mayor Carolin Harvey asserted that it is an issue for the Municipal Officers Electoral Board, not the City Council. A meeting date for the Electoral Board has not yet been set.

Staff reporter Morrigan Carey can be reached at [email protected]. To stay up to date with all your southern Illinois news, follow the Daily Egyptian on Facebook and Twitter.

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