LOWER MANHATTAN — Community Board 3 chairwoman Gigi Li is running for political office, she announced Tuesday afternoon.
Li — who became board chair in 2012 — is eyeing the Democratic district leader seat in the 65th Assembly District, Part C, which includes the Lower East Side, Battery Park City and Wall Street, she said in a statement.
“Lower Manhattan residents deserve a district leader with a powerful voice, genuine leadership experience and the will to fight for the community every single day,” Li said.
Li, who serves as the director of Neighborhood Family Services Coalition, will challenge Jenifer Rajkumar, a civil rights attorney who has held the elected position since 2011.
Rajkumar announced her run for re-election last month at a press conference in front of City Hall and has received support from a number of elected officials, including Rep. Carolyn Maloney, Rep. Jerry Nadler, Public Advocate Letitia James and Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, the Lo-Down reported.
The Democratic district leader is an elected volunteer position, with roles that include hiring poll workers and election inspectors, attending party meetings on the behalf on the district, and acting as a community liaison between residents, organizations and elected officials.
Each district has two leaders, one male and one female. The male 65th District leader for Part C, Paul Newell, is also running for re-election but has told the New York Observer he was “very seriously considering” a bid for the seat of former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.
Voters will cast their ballots for district leader in September.
