A member of the Communist Party with a strong admiration for Zohran Mamdani has recently secured a seat on a local council in upstate New York.

Hannah Shvets, a 20-year-old Cornell University sophomore, was elected last week to represent the Fifth Ward on the Ithaca Common Council. Alongside her council position, Shvets is also affiliated with the Communist Party USA.

In a notable victory, Shvets triumphed over G.P. Zurenda, an independent candidate and former Democratic primary contender.

The Cornell Young Democratic Socialists of America took to Instagram to celebrate her achievement, sharing a photo of Shvets standing with a cardboard cutout of Zohran Mamdani, who was recently elected as New York City’s mayor.

Mamdani’s own election was a significant win in New York City, where he successfully ran against former Governor Andrew Cuomo, a candidate endorsed by then-President Donald Trump.

On Instagram, the group proudly announced, “Our candidate Hannah Shvets has become the youngest socialist elected in US history and will soon join Ithaca’s Common Council as one of its newest members.”

‘Thank you to everyone who made calls, knocked doors, told your friends, and voted. This is all of our win and part of a new socialist future in America.’

Shvets is a proponent of rent stabilization, like Mamdani, and increasing housing supply in the area. 

Cornell Young Democratic Socialists of America celebrated her win on Instagram by sharing a picture of Shvets posing alongside a cardboard cutout of newly elected New York City mayor Mamdani

Speaking to College Town Magazine about her vision on the matter, Shvets said ‘the majority of Ithaca are tenants’, and that she’s not trying to ‘hurt landlords or homeowners.’

‘It isn’t saying that you can’t rent out your properties. It’s not saying you can’t make any money off of them. It’s just saying those increases in profit should not be increased exorbitantly,’ she said.

‘People need to have a chance for their wages to catch up with their rents.’

She is also committed to pushing to introduce ‘stricter compliance inspections to ensure landlords are maintaining property up to the proper health and safety standards,’ according to People’s World.

Also like Mamdani, Shvets has named bus services as a priority, arguing that residents in the area want and need more bus routes.

She wants to create a ‘Community Accountability Board, which would investigate the Ithaca Police Department in instances where misconduct is suspected.’

Shvets has also pledged ‘reparations for Black Ithacans, along with increased financial support for Black community organizations.’

The student doubled down on her commitment to ensuring Ithaca remains a ‘sanctuary city’ for ‘immigrants, those seeking gender-affirming care, and [those seeking] reproductive care.’

Hannah Shvets, 20, was last week voted in to the Ithaca Common Council in the Fifth Ward. She is a member of the Communist Party USA

Her win coincides with the election victory of Daniel Carson (center) in Bangor, Maine – a Democrat who has served in leadership roles for the Communist Party of Maine

Shvets said she would encourage officials not to cooperate with any federal law enforcement, like ICE, seeking to detain residents based on immigration status.

She is also an outspoken advocate for Palestine and has attended several anti-Israel protests since the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas. 

Her win coincides with the election victory of Daniel Carson in Bangor, Maine – a Democrat who has served in leadership roles for the Communist Party of Maine, which is not an official political party in the state. 

The Communist Party USA celebrated his victory on the Bangor City Council, writing: ‘Several members of the Communist Party USA, working as part of broad campaigns rooted in their communities, won elected office in a number of locales.’

‘Our working class deserves a city councilor who not only understands these challenges but is ready to bring people together to find solutions,’ he said.