Nate Cardelli

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Nate Cardelli

Democratic Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

May 7, 2024

Education

High school

South Side High School

Bachelor's

DePaul University, 2016

Graduate

Indiana Institute of Technology, 2019

Personal

Birthplace

Fort Wayne, Ind.

Religion

Non-Denominational

Profession

Public servant

Contact

Campaign website

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Nate Cardelli (Democratic Party) ran for election for an at-large seat of the Allen County Council in Indiana. He lost in the Democratic primary on May 7, 2024.

Cardelli completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Nate Cardelli was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He earned a high school diploma from South Side High School and went on to earn a bachelor's degree from DePaul University in 2016 and a master's degree in organizational leadership from Indiana Tech in 2019. As of the 2024 election, Cardelli was pursuing a Ph.D. at Indiana Tech. His career experience includes working as a public servant. He became general manager at the Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory in 2022. Previously, he worked as a sales manager at the same conservatory. He also worked as a regional sales manager for Midwest Eye Consultants from 2016 to 2018. Cardelli has served as a board member of the Fort Wayne Sister Cities International and as an employee for the City of Fort Wayne Parks & Recreation Department.

Elections

2024

See also: Municipal elections in Allen County, Indiana (2024)

General election

General election for Allen County Council At-large (3 seats)

The following candidates ran in the general election for Allen County Council At-large on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Ken Fries (R)	20.5	71,515
✔	Submit photo	Robert Armstrong (R)	19.5	68,208
✔		Lindsey Hammond (R)	18.2	63,517
	Submit photo	Stephanie Henry (D)	14.5	50,783
		Nena Bailey (D)	13.8	48,315
		Kevin Hunter (D)	13.5	47,027

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 349,365
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Allen County Council At-large (3 seats)

Stephanie Henry, Nena Bailey, and Kevin Hunter defeated Jorge Fernandez and Nate Cardelli in the Democratic primary for Allen County Council At-large on May 7, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Stephanie Henry	24.6	7,766
✔		Nena Bailey	24.2	7,633
✔		Kevin Hunter	20.2	6,372
		Jorge Fernandez	15.6	4,926
		Nate Cardelli	15.3	4,838

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 31,535
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Allen County Council At-large (3 seats)

Incumbent Ken Fries, incumbent Robert Armstrong, and Lindsey Hammond defeated incumbent Kyle Kerley in the Republican primary for Allen County Council At-large on May 7, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Ken Fries	33.2	23,858
✔	Submit photo	Robert Armstrong	23.5	16,925
✔		Lindsey Hammond	22.6	16,235
	Submit photo	Kyle Kerley	20.7	14,913

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 71,931
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Cardelli in this election.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Nate Cardelli completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Cardelli's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

As a South Side High School graduate who was born and raised in Allen County - this is home for me. I proudly live in my central Fort Wayne home with my spouse and our three dogs, Copper, Mason, and Pongo.

I'm a graduate of DePaul University with a Bachelor's degree in Relational Communication, and Indiana Tech with a Master's degree in Organizational Leadership. Currently, I'm a PhD Student at Indiana Tech studying Organizational Management. I'm the General Manager of the Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory and currently serve on the Board of Directors for Fort Wayne Sister Cities.

As a natural-born go-getter, my passion has continuously driven me to expand my knowledge, experience, and relationships. With a strong background in public service and a diverse skill set, I’m confident in the creative and successful solutions I'll bring to the County Council table.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• We're getting a new jail in Allen County. It is now our job to ensure it is a facility that offers its employees and inmates the compassion and dignity they deserve. This includes more robust programming for substance abuse and mental health treatment within the facility.
• We are in the midst of a homelessness crisis in Allen County. This is not just a “Fort Wayne issue” but a health and safety issue impacting our entire county. For instance, all four Allen County public school systems have homeless assistance programs. The lack of affordable housing and rising rents have only contributed to the homelessness crisis, with many residents one paycheck away from homelessness. On County Council it will be my responsibility to work with our county institutions to develop and fund county-wide social welfare programs that will ultimately reduce the impact of homelessness on its residents.
• Our County Government is in crisis. Allen County Council is the fiscal body and must work collaboratively with the Allen County Commissioners to fund transformative and sustaining legislative initiatives within the county. Our county government's integrity is threatened when the expertise of our public servants fails to be recognized by sitting county council members who continue to operate in bad faith with the county commissioners, making it nearly impossible for our public servants to do their work. On County Council, I will maintain an open dialogue with County Administration and discuss mutual priorities toward a better Allen County.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Public Safety

Institutional Integrity / Legitimacy
Quality of Life
Representative Government
Social Programs addressing Substance Abuse, Mental Health, and Homelessness

Tax Payer Accountability

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

Members of Allen County Council are key to the economic stability and vitality of our community. At-Large members maybe even more so, as they represent the entire community. As key decision makers in County budgeting, our County Council has a great deal of the influence and speed of progress in our community

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Sweet Charity? Emergency Food and the End of Entitlement by Janet Poppendieck distinctly covers the importance of government programming and how its failings almost certainly result in overburdened charities trying to resolve governmental dysfunction.

This relates to our Homelessness Crisis in Allen County. We are relying heavily on non-profits to bridge the gap where government has put its hands up. If we want to treat our fellow citizens with dignity, develop our untapped workforce, and become a model for what's possible, our county government must be involved.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Representative value is imperative to maintaining value to constituents as an elected official -- this is why you have access to my cell phone number and email address. I'm here to be responsive to you.

Call or Text: (260) 739-0615

Email: electcardelli@gmail.com

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

As a county councilman, it is imperative to keep a close eye on county spending, and creative financial management techniques that reduce the taxpayer burden. My own property and income taxes have gone up - our residents living on fixed and under the area median household incomes are all suffering from tax increases. We must ensure that any further taxation fully represents the best interests of the residents of Allen County and prove a material value to our residents. This means working with the administration to produce the most fiscally responsible budget that simultaneously works to address key priorities within the county to preserve our quality of life, place, and future.

What legacy would you like to leave?

The legacy I hope to leave is that I led authentically, paying dignity and compassion to our community's hardworking residents.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Father And Son by Cat Stevens

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

County council, when operating properly, can work hand-in-hand with commissioners to develop and fund legislative priorities and quality of life initiatives. However, the current tone of this working relationship has made this type of collaboration and progress nearly impossible - it is my responsibility to bridge that gap when elected.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

Experience in managing a municipal budget is imperative to achieving quick success on Allen County Council. Fortunately, I'm coming to the table with several years of experience with managing a multi-million dollar municipal budget sourced from property tax, grant funding, and earned revenue. I've become well-versed in municipal finance, while keeping a close eye on developing earned revenues that reduce burden to the taxpayer.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

It is past time that we treat our government officials, our civil servants, as experts in their fields. They work tirelessly to generate progress in this community and deserve to be treated with dignity, respect, and compassion by our County Council representatives, not to have their contributions denigrated or micromanaged in the public eye without the willingness of sitting council members to develop an understanding of issues. I will bring that dignity, respect, and compassion to our county government, along with a steady-hand to lead hard conversations and an open-ear to listen to constituents while being responsive to their needs.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

County financial transparency is key. Each budget cycle it is imperative to create easily digestible material for interested members of the public to keep government within reach for our hardworking citizens

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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Allen County Council At-large

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