ITHACA, N.Y.—Ithacans can occasionally be creative, and when given the opportunity and license, have shown the ability to display a wide range of ingenuity whether it be through write-in votes or naming future public safety departments.
Thus, with a mayoral campaign that featured appointed acting mayor (and now mayor-elect) Laura Lewis, progressive challenger Katie Sims and Republican candidate Zachary Winn in a somewhat contentious race, it seemed likely there would be some creativity in the voters’ write-in musings. Additionally, William “Magic Man” Metro, an avowed and vocal conservative, had also launched an informal write-in campaign, adding “Metro for Mayor” to his normal “Do you want to see some magic?” slogan on the Ithaca Commons.
Despite that, there were arguably less write-in votes than anticipated this year. Just 42 people submitted write-in votes for mayor, representing about 0.7 percent of the total votes cast in the race. The results are as follows, organized according to number of votes received:
- “Magic Man” William Metro: 10 votes
- Fifth Ward Alderperson Robert Cantelmo: 7 votes
- First Ward Alderperson Cynthia Brock: 7 votes
- Tompkins County Legislator Rich John: 5 votes
- Former Ithaca Director of Sustainability Dr. Luis Aguirre-Torres: 2 votes
- Former Ithaca College Sustainability Director Jerone Gagliano: 2 votes
- Assemblymember Anna Kelles’ Communications Director Jenn Lyons: 1 vote
- Environmental activist Walter Hang: 1 vote
- Pastor Michael Vincent-Crea: 1 vote
- Ithaca Deputy Director of Human Resources Valerie Saul: 1 vote
- Tami Barrett (unknown): 1 vote
- St. John’s Community Services’ official and former Ithaca Rescue Mission Director Richard Bennett: 1 vote
- Ithaca College professor Gossa Tsegaye: 1 vote
- John Greene (unknown): 1 vote
- Sheila Marie Kyle (unknown): 1 vote