Activate TU Suspended; Later Reinstated for Campaigning Around the Bell Tower

This is an a breaking news story and will be updated as information comes in. Last updated April 5 at 10:15 p.m.

WRITTEN AND REPORTED BY: ED LEFURGE, TAYLOR ALLEN AND TYLER CARMODY

Activate TU, one of two tickets up for Temple Student Government election, was suspended at 7:15 p.m. Wednesday from campaigning. The ticket was then reinstated a little over an hour later at 8:27 p.m., according to TSG Director of Communications Nicole Handel.

Wednesday is the last day of the election, as voting ends at 11:59 p.m.

TSG Elections Commissioner Noah Goff told WHIP that Activate TU was suspended due to a canvassing violation.

When asked about the Bell Tower as being the location that drew the violation, Goff said, “Yes. It was canvassing around the Bell Tower. However, we cannot comment further.”

Handel also confirmed that the violation came from a location where Activate TU was campaigning.

WHIP Reporters witnessed Activate TU Presidential Candidate Tyrell Mann-Barnes, Director of Finance Jake Epstein, Director of Communications Kalen Allen and Communications Member Amelia Burns campaigning with supporters at the Bell Tower throughout the day.

Both Goff and Handel said that the suspension was lifted because new information was brought to the Election Committee’s attention.

Connecting TU Director of Communication Alexa Monteleone confirmed with WHIP that Connecting TU campaigned at the Bell Tower “after being authorized to do so by Chris Carey [Director of Student Activities] and Noah Goff.”

Goff could not provide a specific code violation number, however, the entire TSG Election Codes can be located here.

Activate TU has said nothing publicly about the suspension, but Mann-Barnes did comment to WHIP.

“There is nothing to say other than our team is continuing to campaign until it ends at midnight,” Mann-Barnes said. “We encourage students to go vote.”

Monteleone told WHIP that their campaign wanted to finish strong and ethically.

“We started the campaign ethically and that’s how we want to finish,” Monteleone said.

WHIP reporters Ed LeFurge, Taylor Allen and Tyler Carmody had been investigating the alleged violation since approximately 5 p.m. on Wednesday.

**Editor’s Note: Connecting TU Deputy Campaign Manager Ryan Frascella is also the Assistant General Manager of Programming for WHIP. Frascella was not involved in this investigation.**