Hannah Schwetz, a 20-year-old Cornell student, won a seat on the Ithaca District 5 Common Council on Tuesday, defeating independent Grand Prix Zurenda in a contested council race.
Shvets received 64.12% to Surenda's 35.36%, with the “Affordable Ithaca” line listed for Surenda, Ithaca. reported. Schwetz ran as a Democrat and was endorsed by local left-wing groups including Ithaca DSA, Cornell YDSA and the Ithaca Tenants Union, her campaign website says. She was described as a member of the Communist Party USA in the CPUSA-affiliated People's World magazine. (RELATED: Midwest Mamdani Fails in Try to Turn Minneapolis Socialist)
“Essentially, higher wages are good for everyone, including businesses,” Schwetz reportedly said in October while pushing for a city minimum wage pegged to the Tompkins County cost of living. “I think it creates a healthier environment and people feel more inspired to do their work.”
People are literally starving and dying from preventable health problems in the “richest country in the world” while our government spends its energy tweeting about “anti-communist week.” Absolutely crazy https://t.co/4fDG0DJ15u
— Hannah Shvets (@HannahShvets05) November 10, 2025
The Fifth Ward covers most of Cornell's North Campus and surrounding residential areas. Shvetz's platform focuses on equitable employment protections, rental policies and expanding public transportation — priorities that she says will make the campus accessible to both students and long-term residents.
Zurenda, a psychotherapist and former Democratic primary candidate who launched the Affordable Ithaca Party, which runs through November, campaigned on lowering property taxes, tightening city governance and pushing Cornell to pay more, according to his memorandum with the city.
The vote count in Ithacan shows Schwetz as one of two winners in the contested city races, along with Jorge DeFendini in District 1. The Tompkins County Board of Elections has released unofficial results for the entire county and will certify the results after the vote.
