Jacob Spiegel

Candidate for Councilperson

Ithaca, New York

Election: 2026-11-03

A Councilperson with integrity, transparency, and commitment to the Town of Ithaca

Jacob Spiegel is a Cornell ILR alumnus and Chicago Booth MBA candidate who knows Ithaca — and knows how to get things done. As founder of BallotBright, a civic-tech startup currently competing for $400,000 in investment funding, Jacob has proven he can build something from nothing and deliver results. Jacob's campaign centers on three bold priorities: restoring passenger rail service connecting Ithaca to Syracuse and New York City, giving residents and students a reliable, affordable travel corridor; creating a business-friendly tax incentive framework that attracts new enterprises and grows the local economy; and investing in public safety to ensure Ithaca's neighborhoods remain welcoming and secure. With years of experience in financial analysis, data-driven decision-making, and entrepreneurship, Jacob brings both the analytical rigor and the entrepreneurial hustle to turn campaign promises into policy wins. He's not just talking about Ithaca's future — he's ready to build it.