After one Ohio University Student Senate ticket represented their campaign from behind a senate fest safety table at Palmer Fest, REACH’s consequences remain unknown.
REACH candidates independently distributed pizza for fest awareness a few feet from the senate table Saturday while some members wore their campaign shirts.
“I personally don’t see anything affecting them, but it’s up to the Board of Elections, assuming someone filed a complaint,” said senate President Kyle Triplett.
If any of the senate candidates were to file a complaint, the Board of Elections would meet to decide a consequence, said board chair Kate Steven.
Though yOU presidential candidate Tony Koehling does not plan on filing a complaint, independent presidential candidate Jared Henderson is unsure how he will proceed.
“It’s great that they were giving pizza away themselves, but the fact that they went to the senate table is inappropriate,” Henderson said. “We’ve had a very civil campaign so far, but I’ll look into my possibilities.”
Separated by a few feet, REACH and senate’s fest safety tables were too close to be concerned about this incident, Koehling said.
“The tables were right next to each other, so it’s nothing to get upset over,” Koehling added. “It’s definitely not anything I’m going to pursue.”
Zach George, REACH’s presidential candidate, doesn’t think this incident will affect his campaign, he said.
“As senator, I’m fulfilling a dual role,” George said. “We’re senators before anything else.”
Though there are no official rules banning campaign T-shirts from the senate office, it’s tradition to turn the shirt inside out or cover it with a sweater before entering, Triplett said.
Triplett has reminded some REACH supporters of this rule, he added.
“If it’s a current shirt for a current campaign, they can’t wear it in the office,” Triplett said.
sj950610@ohiou.edu
