Let's Get to Work, Together
Contact Form
"(Required)" indicates required fields
Contact Form
"(Required)" indicates required fields
Meet Robert
Robert Cantelmo is the democratic nominee for mayor of the City of Ithaca.
Robert is a husband, father, scholar, and public servant with a strong commitment to building an inclusive, affordable, sustainable, and dynamic Ithaca. He is running to develop a robust strategy and clear vision for local government at a time of significant change. Robert wants to address our housing crisis by promoting attainable home ownership and affordable rents through legalizing a diverse range of housing types to include duplexes, triplexes, townhomes, and small-scale multi-unit buildings. He believes transportation is inherently tied to housing and advocates for enhanced transit infrastructure and investment in micro-mobility. He supports investment in our workforce and local industry to draw talent, investment, and innovation to our community.
Before running for mayor, Robert served as a City of Ithaca councilmember for the fifth ward (Fall Creek and Cornell Heights). In that role, he chairs the city administration committee, which oversees the budget, public finance, workforce environment, intergovernmental relations, rules, and human resources. During his tenure, he led efforts to make Ithaca the second city in New York to require employers to disclose compensation levels in job ads. In the wake of the Supreme Court’s disastrous reversal of Roe v. Wade, Robert also drafted a city amendment guaranteeing the protection of reproductive rights. Outside of public service, Robert works as an associate director of the Mario Einaudi Center for International Studies, where he oversees strategy, business development, grant compliance.
Robert earned his B.A in political science from American University, an M.A. in international affairs at George Washington University, and an M.A. in government at Cornell University. He is a Ph.D. candidate (ABD) in government at Cornell University.
Robert and his wife Catherine live in Ithaca with their two young kids.
What Robert Stands For
From public safety to fair pay, Robert is committed to addressing the issues facing Ithaca residents because he knows how important it is to ensure that our community is able to thrive and move forward.Robert on the issues >>>

Endorsements
Elected Officials
County Legislature Chair Shawna Black
County Legislature Vice Chair Dan Klein
County Legislator Travis Brooks
County Legislator Veronica Pillar
County Legislator Anne Koreman
County Legislator Deborah Dawson
County Legislator Greg Mezey
Acting Mayor & Councilmember Ducson Nguyen
Alternate Acting Mayor & Councilmember Rob Gearhart
Councilmember George McGonigal
Councilmember Cynthia Brock
Councilmember Phoebe Brown
Councilmember Donna Fleming
Councilmember Jorge DeFendini
Councilmember Tiffany Kumar
Councilmember Kris Haines-Sharp
Notable Community Endorsements
Democratic Congressional Candidate Josh Riley
City of Ithaca Democratic Party Chair Ed Swayze
Former County Legislature Chair Martha Robertson
Former Ithaca Mayor Svante Myrick
Former Ithaca Councilmember Seph Murtagh
Former Ithaca Councilmember Michael Decatur
Organizations and Unions
NY Working Families Party
AFL-CIO Midstate Central Labor Council
Union of Auto Workers
Planned Parenthood Action Fund
Cornell University College Democrats