Two candidates have entered the race to replace Glover
VANCOUVER — NOTE: This story has been updated to reflect that a second candidate, Diana Perez, has announced her intent to run for Glover’s open seat.
There will be a new Vancouver City Council member next year after Linda Glover announced this week on Facebook that she will not be seeking re-election.
Glover, who is currently the Mayor Pro Tem, called her one term in office “rewarding, challenging, and even overwhelming at times,” but also a responsibility she has “cherished.”
“I am proud of our council’s accomplishments in these times of challenge,” Glover wrote. “We set policies that ranged from assisting the unhoused to assisting the businessperson providing jobs. We quickly responded to support the challenges of COVID-19.”
Glover was elected to the council’s Position 3 seat in 2017, defeating Michelle Beardshear, a Clark Public Utilities employee and chair of the East Mill Plain Neighborhood Association.
Glover, a former teacher, has kept busy since moving to Vancouver in the mid-90s. She is currently executive director of gifts For Our Community, a nonprofit organization that provides community resources in the areas of human services, education and the arts. Glover also oversees Divine Consign on Main Street for since 2005.
“Although I will be leaving the council at the end of this year, I will continue to serve our community in many different ways,” wrote Glover. “I believe the contributions I have made and will continue to make for the rest of this year will help shape the path to a more prosperous future for Vancouver.”
Glover said her decision not to run hinges largely on the council’s continuing discussions around equity and inclusion.
“It is my hope that the next election cycle will meet some of those concerns by adding someone from the east side of our city and a person of color to our council,” said Glover.
Two candidates have announced plans to run for Glover’s seat
Even before Glover’s announcement, one familiar face had announced his intention to challenge her.
Glen Yung, a self-employed contractor who repairs and flips homes, has been a frequent contributor during public comment periods at council meetings. He announced his candidacy on Feb. 22.
“I love Vancouver and I know that together, we can preserve everything we love about our city while also attracting the right development how and where it makes sense,” Yung wrote on his campaign website. “But this will only come about when our city leaders put citizens ahead of special interests.”
Yung spent 20 years in the financial sector before quitting his job in 2007 and starting a real estate business with his wife, Kim Xuan, restoring historic homes and reselling them.
In 2019 he became chair of the Westside Neighborhood Coalition, which formed to oppose the city’s bike and pedestrian pathway plan. He currently serves as co-chair of the Hough Neighborhood Association, and as a member of the Uptown Village Business Association.
“The citizens of Vancouver deserve new leadership by someone who’s already been listening to them and already fighting for them at City Hall,” said Yung.
Hours after Glover’s announcement on Facebook, Diana Perez also announced her intention to run for the open Position 3 seat.
“I am excited to be running for Vancouver City Council!” Perez wrote on her newly launched campaign website. “I am running for Vancouver City Council because I want to be part of leading this great City in a purposeful and meaningful way where everyone benefits and has opportunities to thrive through a shared vision that is powerful and inclusive.”
Perez was previously state director for the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC). She has previously served on the city’s long-range budget committee, as well as the recent Community Task Force on Council Representation, and the Police Chief’s Diversity Advisory Team.
“Everyone needs to be included in our recovery efforts. This is especially true for owners and employees of our small businesses,” Perez wrote. “As a city councilmember I will help lead the efforts to create the policies that deliver an equitable and sustainable recovery from the pandemic.”
Perez was one of seven people vying for an open city council seat in 2019 which eventually went to Sarah Fox. She missed getting to the general election by just a few percentage points.
