Hannah Shvets, a 20-year-old member of the Communist Party and Cornell University student, has been elected to the Ithaca Common Council in upstate New York. Shvets, who supports rent stabilization, increased housing supply, and stricter property standards, defeated an independent candidate to become the youngest socialist elected in United States history. She also advocates for expanded bus services, a Community Accountability Board to investigate police misconduct, reparations for Black residents, and maintaining Ithaca as a sanctuary city. Shvets is an outspoken supporter of Palestine and has participated in anti-Israel protests. Her election comes as Daniel Carson, another Communist Party member, secured a city council seat in Bangor, Maine, marking a notable moment for socialist and communist representation in local government.