MassVoter.com← ChelseaMunicipal votes · 2026–2027 Council
Chelsea City Council
How the Chelsea City Council voted, from the City Clerk's official minutes. 11 councilors: 3 elected at large and one from each of the city’s 8 districts. Sworn in January 5, 2026. Council President: Roberto Jimenez-Rivera (elected January 5, 2026). Vice President: Norieliz DeJesus. Deron Hines (District 2) joined the council. The end date (January 2028) is a placeholder for the next inauguration. Covers 15 meetings so far, January 5 to September 21, 2026.
A monthly email on what it voted on, starting in November.
What does the City Council do? It is the city’s lawmaking body. It passes local laws (ordinances), votes on the yearly budget, and approves borrowing and zoning changes.
The council hires the city manager, who runs the city day to day and proposes the budget.
Sources: Mass. General Laws c. 44 § 32 (city budgets)Vote Transparency Score
Chelsea City Council: 8 out of 10 · Mostly open
How easy Chelsea makes it to see, online, how each member votes. It scores the city’s records, not any official. Checked October 9, 2026.
- Minutes postedMinutes are posted for most, but not all, of the past year’s meetings.Part points: 1/2
- Each vote namedWhen councilors split, the minutes list how each one voted.Full points: 3/3
- Posted quicklyMinutes are posted for every meeting more than a month old.Full points: 2/2
- Past years onlineCity Council minutes going back to 2015 are online.Full points: 1/1
- Readable textAbout a third of the past year’s minutes are scanned images, not searchable text.No points: 0/1
- Member photosThe city’s website shows a named photo of each councilor.Full points: 1/1
How the city can raise its score
- Minutes posted (+1): Post approved minutes for every meeting on the city website. Don’t require a sign-in to view them.
- Readable text (+1): Save minutes straight from Word or Google Docs as a PDF instead of printing and scanning them. If a scan is needed, turn on the scanner’s “searchable PDF” or text-recognition setting.
How we score · Something wrong, or has the city made a change? Email info@massvoter.com and we’ll re-check.
A monthly email on its votes, starting in November. We'll also tell you if this score changes.
Council sessions
Coming up
MassVoter can’t read Chelsea’s meeting calendar automatically yet. See upcoming meetings on the official site →
Councilors
PresidentRoberto Jimenez-RiveraPresident (2026) · At-large · at 15 of 15 meetings
Vice PresidentNorieliz DeJesusVice President (2026) · District 3 · at 12 of 15 meetings
Calvin BrownCouncilor · District 8 · at 12 of 15 meetings
Deron HinesCouncilor · District 2 · at 14 of 15 meetings
Kelly GarciaCouncilor · At-large · at 14 of 15 meetings
Giovanni RecuperoCouncilor · District 6 · at 13 of 15 meetings✓ Every meeting 2026
Leo RobinsonCouncilor · At-large · at 15 of 15 meetings✓ Every meeting 2026
Lisa SantagateCouncilor · District 5 · at 15 of 15 meetings
Tanairi GarciaCouncilor · District 4 · at 10 of 15 meetings✓ Every meeting 2026
Todd TaylorCouncilor · District 1 · at 15 of 15 meetings
Manuel TesheCouncilor · District 7 · at 9 of 15 meetings"At X of Y meetings" counts the roll call at the start of each meeting in this record. Councilors who step out are listed on each meeting page.
Attendance
15 full-board meetings so far this year, through September 21. Ties share a rank.
1Roberto Jimenez-Rivera15 of 15 meetings Every meeting100%1Leo Robinson15 of 15 meetings Every meeting100%1Lisa Santagate15 of 15 meetings Every meeting100%1Todd Taylor15 of 15 meetings Every meeting100%5Deron Hines14 of 15 meetings93%5Kelly Garcia14 of 15 meetings93%7Giovanni Recupero13 of 15 meetings87%8Calvin Brown12 of 15 meetings80%8Norieliz DeJesus12 of 15 meetings80%10Tanairi Garcia10 of 15 meetings67%11Manuel Teshe9 of 15 meetings60%29 full-board meetings in 2023. Ties share a rank.
1Brian Hatleberg29 of 29 meetings Every meeting100%1Leo Robinson29 of 29 meetings Every meeting100%1Todd Taylor29 of 29 meetings Every meeting100%4Calvin Brown28 of 29 meetings97%5Giovanni Recupero27 of 29 meetings93%6Enio Lopez25 of 29 meetings86%6Damali Vidot25 of 29 meetings86%8Norieliz DeJesus24 of 29 meetings83%9Tanairi Garcia20 of 29 meetings69%10Judith Garcia19 of 29 meetings66%11Melinda Vega17 of 29 meetings59%19 full-board meetings in 2021. Ties share a rank.
1Roy Avellaneda19 of 19 meetings Every meeting100%1Calvin Brown19 of 19 meetings Every meeting100%1Enio Lopez19 of 19 meetings Every meeting100%1Leo Robinson19 of 19 meetings Every meeting100%1Todd Taylor19 of 19 meetings Every meeting100%1Naomi Zabot19 of 19 meetings Every meeting100%7Judith Garcia18 of 19 meetings95%8Yamir Rodriguez16 of 19 meetings84%9Melinda Vega15 of 19 meetings79%10Giovanni Recupero14 of 19 meetings74%11Damali Vidot7 of 19 meetings37%21 full-board meetings in 2020. Ties share a rank.
1Judith Garcia21 of 21 meetings Every meeting100%1Todd Taylor21 of 21 meetings Every meeting100%1Naomi Zabot21 of 21 meetings Every meeting100%4Roy Avellaneda20 of 21 meetings95%4Calvin Brown20 of 21 meetings95%6Enio Lopez19 of 21 meetings90%6Giovanni Recupero19 of 21 meetings90%6Leo Robinson19 of 21 meetings90%6Yamir Rodriguez19 of 21 meetings90%10Damali Vidot18 of 21 meetings86%11Melinda Vega16 of 21 meetings76%From the official minutes: full-board meetings only (committee meetings are not counted). Members are counted only for meetings held while they served, and arriving late counts as attending. The minutes rarely say why a member was absent. Not shown: 2018, 2019, 2022, 2024, 2025, because too many of that year’s meetings are missing from the posted minutes.
A monthly email on its votes and who was there, starting in November.
Meetings
About missing minutes
Loaded: every full City Council meeting with minutes on the city’s website from January 2, 2018 through September 21, 2026 (179 meetings: regular, special and two joint meetings with the School Committee), from the City Council agendas and minutes page (2021 on) and the City Council archive (2015 to 2020). Sub-committee meetings (Conference, Ways and Means and others), the Charter Review Committee and the School Committee are not loaded. Most minutes from 2018 to May 2024, January and February 2025 and January to April 2026 are scanned paper copies; MassVoter read them with text recognition and checked the vote lines by hand where the scan was hard to read. Not here: minutes the city has not posted, including October 19 and November 2, 2020; September 20, 2021; January 24, June 27, September 12 and December 5, 2022; September 9, October 21, November 4, November 18, December 2 and December 16, 2024; February 24, March 10, March 24, April 7, May 5 and June 2, 2025; November 10 and December 1, 2025 (regular and special meetings); and April 6, 2026. The “Minutes” links for January 11, 2021, March 4, 2024 and March 9, 2026 open the minutes of a different meeting, so those three meetings are missing too, and the October 4, 2021 link opens the October 18, 2021 minutes. MassVoter is asking the City Council Clerk for the missing minutes. Chelsea’s minutes record most actions as passed “under suspension”, “by voice vote” or “with no objections”, with no count; for those MassVoter shows the result only and never assumes the vote was unanimous. Communications accepted and filed, items referred to a committee and orders moved to a second reading are not counted as votes unless a roll call was taken. Roll calls are written as a four-part count (yes-no-absent-present, such as 8-2-1-0) with the names of the councilors voting each way. When the names add up to the councilors present, MassVoter shows each councilor’s vote; when the minutes name only the no voters, the yes voters are the other councilors present; when the count and names do not agree, a name is listed twice or cannot be read, or the minutes name a councilor who is not on the attendance line, MassVoter shows the count only and adds a note. Since 2022 two councilors named Garcia have served together; a roll call that says only “Garcia” shows the count only. Councilors who recused themselves are left out of that vote. Elections of the Council President, Vice President and Delegate to the School Committee are shown by name when only one councilor was nominated and the minutes name every vote, and as the result only, with a note, when councilors chose between candidates. We will ask the City Council Clerk to confirm any noted vote.
Votes where councilors disagreed
Most council votes are unanimous. These are the ones where at least one councilor voted no or abstained, newest first.
Sep 21Order: pursuant to M.G.L. c. 44, §53A½ and Section…Motion: ORDERED – ROLL CALL (8-0-3-0)Passed 8–0 · see note
September 21, 2026: Order: pursuant to M.G.L. c. 44, §53A½ and Section 3-5 of the City of Chelsea Code of Ordinances, the Chelsea City Council hereby accepts the donation of ice cream valued…
ORDERED – ROLL CALL (8-0-3-0)
Yes: Brown, Hines, Jimenez-Rivera, Kelly Garcia, Recupero, Robinson, Santagate, TaylorThe minutes list Norieliz DeJesus as absent for this vote; MassVoter leaves that councilor out of the vote.
From the minutes
“RESULT ORDERED – ROLL CALL (8-0-3-0) YES Taylor, Recupero, Jimenez-Rivera, Hines, K. Garcia, Santagate, Brown and Robinson NO ABSENT T. Garcia, Teshe and DeJesus PRESENT.”
Sep 21Appointments and Re-Appointments to Boards and CommissionsMotion: APPOINTMENTS CONFIRMED – ROLL CALL (8-0-3-0)Passed 8–0 · see note
September 21, 2026: Appointments and Re-Appointments to Boards and Commissions
APPOINTMENTS CONFIRMED – ROLL CALL (8-0-3-0)
Yes: Brown, Hines, Jimenez-Rivera, Kelly Garcia, Recupero, Robinson, Santagate, TaylorThe minutes list Norieliz DeJesus as absent for this vote; MassVoter leaves that councilor out of the vote.
From the minutes
“RESULT APPOINTMENTS CONFIRMED – ROLL CALL (8-0-3-0) YES Taylor, Recupero, Jimenez-Rivera, Hines, K. Garcia, Santagate, Brown and Robinson NO ABSENT T. Garcia, Teshe and DeJesus PRESENT.”
Sep 21Order: a meeting of the Sub-Committee on Conference be…Motion: ORDERED – VOICE VOTEPassed · see note
September 21, 2026: Order: a meeting of the Sub-Committee on Conference be held with representatives from GreenRoots, Mass Audubon, and TND to discuss their development plans for the Forbes site.
ORDERED – VOICE VOTE
The minutes give the result only, with no count, so MassVoter does not show how each councilor voted.
Sep 21Resolution: the Chelsea City Council respectfully urges the Massachusetts…Motion: ORDERED – ROLL CALL (7-1-3-0)Passed 7–1 · No: Taylor
September 21, 2026: Resolution: the Chelsea City Council respectfully urges the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation to reopen the public- engagement process for the Mary O'Malley State Park pier...
ORDERED – ROLL CALL (7-1-3-0)
Yes: Brown, Hines, Jimenez-Rivera, Kelly Garcia, Recupero, Robinson, SantagateNo: TaylorThe minutes list Norieliz DeJesus as absent for this vote; MassVoter leaves that councilor out of the vote.
From the minutes
“RESULT ORDERED – ROLL CALL (7-1-3-0) YES Recupero, Jimenez-Rivera, Hines, K. Garcia, Santagate, Brown and Robinson NO Taylor ABSENT T. Garcia, Teshe and DeJesus PRESENT.”
Sep 21Order: the City Manager work with relevant departments to…Motion: ORDERED – VOICE VOTEPassed · see note
September 21, 2026: Order: the City Manager work with relevant departments to explore the feasibility of providing assistance to residents in understanding the terms and conditions of their residential leases.
ORDERED – VOICE VOTE
The minutes give the result only, with no count, so MassVoter does not show how each councilor voted.
Sep 14Resolution: I, Councilor Calvin T. Brown, and All Members…Motion: ADOPTED – VOICE VOTEPassed · see note
September 14, 2026: Resolution: I, Councilor Calvin T. Brown, and All Members of the Chelsea City Council, honor the work and dedication of Zion Church Ministries for their 131 years of steadfast service…
ADOPTED – VOICE VOTE
The minutes give the result only, with no count, so MassVoter does not show how each councilor voted.
Sep 14Resolution: the Chelsea City Council hereby declares September 15th…Motion: ADOPTED – VOICE VOTEPassed · see note
September 14, 2026: Resolution: the Chelsea City Council hereby declares September 15th to October 15th, 2026 as "National Hispanic Heritage Month" in the City of Chelsea, recognizes the integral role of Hispanics in...
ADOPTED – VOICE VOTE
The minutes give the result only, with no count, so MassVoter does not show how each councilor voted.
Sep 14Resolution: the Chelsea City Council hereby congratulate the Lewis…Motion: ADOPTED – VOICE VOTEPassed · see note
September 14, 2026: Resolution: the Chelsea City Council hereby congratulate the Lewis H. Latimer Society on their success and expresses support for its mission of promoting the legacy of Lewis H. Latimer to…
ADOPTED – VOICE VOTE
The minutes give the result only, with no count, so MassVoter does not show how each councilor voted.
Sep 14Resolution: the Chelsea City Council hereby expresses its gratitude…Motion: ADOPTED – VOICE VOTEPassed · see note
September 14, 2026: Resolution: the Chelsea City Council hereby expresses its gratitude to the Chelsea Police Department, Fire Department, Department of Public Works, and Department of Recreation and Cultural Affairs...
ADOPTED – VOICE VOTE
The minutes give the result only, with no count, so MassVoter does not show how each councilor voted.
Sep 14Order: pursuant to M.G.L. c. 44, §53A½, the Chelsea…Motion: ORDERED – ROLL CALL (8-0-3-0)Passed 8–0 · see note
September 14, 2026: Order: pursuant to M.G.L. c. 44, §53A½, the Chelsea City Council hereby accepts the donations and sponsorships received for the annual City Gala, as follows: Business Name Donation Amount Brown...
ORDERED – ROLL CALL (8-0-3-0)
Yes: Brown, Hines, Jimenez-Rivera, Recupero, Robinson, Santagate, Taylor, TesheThe minutes list Kelly Garcia as absent for this vote; MassVoter leaves that councilor out of the vote.
From the minutes
“RESULT ORDERED – ROLL CALL (8-0-3-0) YES Taylor, Recupero, Jimenez-Rivera, Hines, Teshe, Santagate, Brown and Robinson NO ABSENT T. Garcia, K. Garcia and DeJesus PRESENT.”
From the Chelsea City Council’s official minutes, posted on the city’s City Council agendas and minutes page (2021 on) and its City Council archive (2015 to 2020). We check every vote against the councilors present and quote the exact wording. MassVoter never grades or scores officials. Councilor photos: City of Chelsea (chelseama.gov), from the official photos on the City Council page. Former councilors show initials.
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