The votes have been tallied in the latest election for the International Special Review District (ISRD) Board in Seattle. With a modest turnout, the community has chosen its new representatives who will be charged with upholding and enhancing the area's unique heritage. According to an announcement from the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, the election concluded last Tuesday with Jade Yen capturing Position #3, which primarily represents business owners, property owners, or employees, while Samantha Wong won Position #5, classified as At-Large.
The elected candidates emerge from an electoral process conducted by mail, seeing a total of 121 ballots from the Chinatown International District community. Beginning this Sunday, the candidates are set to commence their terms. The ISRD was established by city ordinance in 1973 with an aim—now placed in the hands of Yen, Wong, and their colleagues—to preserve and promote the district's cultural, economic, and historic qualities.
The board is composed of seven members, five elected from within the community and two appointed directly by the Mayor, all serving two-year terms with an option for a single consecutive reappointment. As part of the 2024 slate, Yen and Wong will join other residents of the district, including current members Eric Chan, Heather Hargesheimer, Nella Kwan, Kyle Jacobson, Adrian Lam, and Gary Lee, some of whom will continue serving until the end of November next year. Lam holds the position of Chair while Hargesheimer serves as the Vice Chair.
This local governing body, focused on preserving and enhancing the cultural heritage of Seattle's historic Chinatown International District, is managed through the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods' Historic Preservation Program. Tasked with safeguarding and designating over 400 historic structures and sites citywide, the program includes eight historic districts, each representing a unique chapter of Seattle's diverse history.
