Hannah Shvets, a 20-year-old Cornell University student and member of the Communist Party, has been elected to the Ithaca Common Council in upstate New York's Fifth Ward. Her victory was celebrated by local socialist groups, who highlighted her advocacy for rent stabilization, increased housing supply, and expanded bus services. Shvets has pledged to introduce stricter compliance inspections for landlords, create a Community Accountability Board to oversee police misconduct, and support reparations and financial aid for Black residents and organizations. She is committed to maintaining Ithaca as a sanctuary city and has voiced support for immigrants, gender-affirming care, reproductive rights, and the Palestinian cause. Her win coincides with other left-wing victories, including Daniel Carson's election to the Bangor City Council in Maine.