Temple students will have the opportunity to cast a vote in the upcoming Temple Student Government election on March 26 following a debate moderated by The Temple News between the two campaigns on March 24.
The two tickets, Temple Tomorrow and TUnited, have been campaigning since March 12 and will continue to promote their platforms and encourage students to vote leading up to election day.
The campaigns include Temple Tomorrow, led by presidential candidate Lourdes Cardamone and vice presidential candidate Janeese Hochstetler, and TUnited, led by presidential Yaam Malka and vice presidential candidate William Walker. Voting will be open to the student body for two days through UVote, a website built by Temple Information Technology Services. UVote uses student credentials to verify university enrollment and provides users with an overview of both candidate platforms.
HOW THE ELECTION WORKS
Students will receive a link to the online ballot in their TUmail inbox on March 26, with voting remaining open until midnight on March 27. Faculty are not eligible to vote to ensure unbiased election oversight.
The results, including each ticket’s vote percentages, will be published the following day on March 28. The elected party will not officially assume duties until the Fall 2025 semester.
Election results and conduct will be overseen by TSG’s elections co-commissioners, Samantha Smith and Alisa Pryor. The election is entirely student-run, with commissioners ensuring that campaigns comply with the rules and codes in the TSG constitution.
Though campaigns generally adhere to the election codes, commissioners familiarize themselves with the guidelines in order to address any questions or concerns, Smith said. Commissioners also ensure the election is conducted fairly and transparently, with a system in place for accountable error reporting.
The commissioners aim to ensure the student body knows how and when to vote through their communications and will be tabling in front of the Howard-Gittis Student Center leading up to the election to promote voting.
“It’s an honor to promote student voting and to make sure it remains unbiased,” Smith said.
WHAT DOES TSG DO?
In addition to allocating funding for student organizations, TSG serves as a conduit for the student body to voice their concerns to university administration.
“To me, the primary role of TSG is to advocate for the student body, to be the voice for students in spaces they might not always have access to,” said Barbara Perlman, student activities director and TSG’s faculty advisor.
Once a president and vice president have been elected, they may move forward with the process of selecting their cabinet. Students can apply for various cabinet positions and interview with TSG leadership. Most presidents and vice presidents finalize their selections during the summer to enter the year prepared and capitalize on their time in office.
Perlman highlighted the challenges new administrations face, noting that certain key priorities require constant attention regardless of leadership transition. One example is the Student Temple Allocation and Resources program, where TSG is responsible for building its committee and establishing funding processes, and must be readily in place for student organizations.
“Something interesting about the way TSG elections run is that there’s not always continuity,” Perlman said. “There’s always a process of onboarding and students have to learn how their objectives fit into what TSG can do.”
To participate in TSG, students must be enrolled full-time at Temple, maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA and have no conduct violations. Candidates can run for election multiple times. Current Student Body President Ray Epstein ran as a vice presidential candidate in 2023 and lost, but successfully campaigned again in 2024, winning with her ReimagineTU campaign alongside Vice President Kiyah Hamilton.
“I truly felt like I learned about every corner of our campus during my campaign, and I wish everyone could have the crash course of campaigning,” Epstein said. “You learn about spaces and resources on campus you never would have heard of.”
In their tenure so far, ReimagineTU has surveyed students for feedback on issues like handicap accessibility and Title IX policy complaints, and overhauled the FLIGHT shuttle signage system following student complaints. Perlman said that Epstein’s successful campaign included this emphasis on increased student communication.
“ReimagineTU laid out their policies, had strong websites where students could see what they were talking and thinking about and had a clear and cohesive message,” Perlman said. “They also used policy writers. That all gave them the ability to speak directly and thoughtfully to a variety of challenges, because they looked at a variety of perspectives.”
TSG representatives also attend all public Board of Trustees meetings, providing updates on campus life and presenting student initiatives. The Board includes 36 voting members, 24 elected and 12 appointed by Pennsylvania government officials, and makes final decisions on matters like campus construction, tuition, budgeting and federal compliance.
President John Fry has prioritized strengthening communication between the administration and TSG, instituting monthly meetings — an increase from the more sporadic meetings reported under previous presidents, Epstein said.
Students interested in learning more about each campaign’s stance on campus matters can attend the candidate debate on March 24 and follow each campaign’s social media accounts for updates.
“[Being informed about the election] is important,” Perlman said. “TSG represents the student body. They go to the trustees and get to share what students are talking about. So it’s important that students are involved in the process. I think the more students that vote the better, just like any election.”
