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Lowell City Council
How the Lowell City Council voted, from the City Clerk's official minutes. 11 councilors: one from each of the city’s 8 districts and 3 elected at large; the council chooses one of its members as Mayor. Elected November 7, 2023; inaugurated January 2, 2024. The council chose Daniel P. Rourke (District 1) as Mayor (9 votes on the first ballot) and Paul Ratha Yem (District 7) as Vice Chair (11 votes). John Descoteaux (District 8) joined the council; Erik R. Gitschier moved to an at-large seat. John J. Leahy (District 3) resigned on July 23, 2024, after filing his last motion at that meeting; the same night the council chose Corey Belanger to fill the District 3 seat (6 councilors chose him and 4 voted present), and he served from August 13, 2024 to the end of the term. Covers 84 meetings, January 2 to December 16, 2025.
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)Council sessions
Coming up
- Tue, Oct 13PDF →
- Mon, Oct 19COA Board Agenda for 10/19/26 →
From the agendas Lowell posts on its official site. Agendas can change; the posted agenda is the official one.
Councilors
MayorDaniel P. RourkeMayor · District 1 (from 2022); at-large (2020-2021) · at 78 of 84 meetingsVice-ChairPaul Ratha YemVice Chair · District 7 (2022-2025) · at 79 of 84 meetings
Sokhary ChauCouncilor · District 6 (from 2022); at-large (2020-2021) · at 76 of 84 meetings
John DescoteauxCouncilor · District 8 · at 79 of 84 meetings
Erik R. GitschierCouncilor · At-large (from 2024); District 8 (2022-2023) · at 84 of 84 meetingsWayne JennessCouncilor · District 4 (2022-2025) · at 76 of 84 meetingsJohn J. LeahyCouncilor · District 3 (2022-2024); at-large (2018-2021) · at 27 of 28 meetings · until Jul 2024
Rita MercierCouncilor · At-large · at 82 of 84 meetings
Vesna NuonCouncilor · At-large · at 78 of 84 meetings
Corey RobinsonCouncilor · District 2 · at 82 of 84 meetings
Kimberly ScottCouncilor · District 5 · at 80 of 84 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.
Meetings
About missing minutes
Loaded: every full City Council meeting with minutes in the city’s Agenda Center from January 2, 2018 through August 25, 2026 (348 meetings: 313 regular, 32 special, including the five inaugurations and the short open sessions held to go into executive session, and 3 joint meetings with the School Committee, where only councilors’ votes are shown) and 10,605 votes. Lowell has a Plan E charter: a City Manager runs the city, and the Mayor is a councilor chosen by the council at each inauguration; the Mayor chairs the council (and the School Committee) and votes. Through 2021 all nine councilors were elected at large. Since January 2022, after the settlement of the Huot v. City of Lowell voting-rights case, the council has eleven members: one from each of eight districts and three elected at large. Council subcommittee meetings and executive-session minutes are not loaded, and subcommittee votes reported in the council minutes are not shown as council votes. The city posted one set of minutes for each of three meetings that continued on a later night (April 25 and May 2, 2023; July 25 and August 8, 2023; and March 21 and 25, 2023), so each pair is listed as one meeting; the May 26 and June 2, 2026 budget sessions share one file but are written one after the other, so they are listed separately. Two sets of minutes (February 8, 2022 and June 4, 2024) were posted as scanned images; MassVoter read them with text recognition, so quoted words may keep small reading errors. Not here: open-session minutes for the executive-session meetings continued to October 22 and November 9, 2020 (agendas only), and meetings after August 25, 2026 (the September 8, September 22 and October 6, 2026 minutes are not posted yet). Lowell’s minutes record nearly every action as “Motion … by C. X, seconded by C. Y. So voted.” That is a voice vote with no count or names, so MassVoter shows the result only and never assumes it was unanimous (8,018 votes). Votes on money, appointments, ordinances and contested motions are taken by roll call. Since November 2024 the minutes name every councilor on each side (“Adopted per Roll Call vote 9 yeas (C. Chau, …), 2 nays (C. Liang, C. McDonough)”); earlier minutes give the count and name the councilors voting no, abstaining or absent (“Adopted per Roll Call vote 8 yeas, 1 absent (C. Nuon)”). MassVoter shows each councilor’s vote when the names and counts add up to the councilors present, and the count only, with a note, when they do not (11 votes). A councilor listed as absent for a roll call, or who recused, is left out of that vote. A few councilors who are missing from the attendance line but are named voting or making motions are counted present, with a note. Elections of the Mayor and Vice Chair, the choice of a councilor to fill the District 3 vacancy in 2024, and the council’s choices of a City Manager and City Auditor show the result only, with a note quoting who chose whom. We will ask the City 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.
Dec 9Adopt: Vote - Cancel Council Meetings 12.23.25 and 12.30.25Motion: In City Council, Given 2nd Reading, Motion “To Adopt” by C.…Passed 8–1 · No: Gitschier
December 9, 2025: Adopt: Vote - Cancel Council Meetings 12.23.25 and 12.30.25
In City Council, Given 2nd Reading, Motion “To Adopt” by C. Belanger, seconded by C. Chau. Adopted per Roll Call vote 8 yeas (C. Belanger, C. Chau, C. Mercier, C. Nuon, C. Robinson, M. Rourke, C. Scott, C. Yem), 1 nay (C. Gitschier), 2 absent (C. Descoteaux, C. Jenness). So voted.
Yes: Belanger, Chau, Mercier, Nuon, Robinson, Rourke, Scott, YemNo: Gitschier
From the minutes
“In City Council, Given 2nd Reading, Motion “To Adopt” by C. Belanger, seconded by C. Chau. Adopted per Roll Call vote 8 yeas (C. Belanger, C. Chau, C. Mercier, C. Nuon, C. Robinson, M. Rourke, C. Scott, C. Yem), 1 nay (C. Gitschier), 2 absent (C. Descoteaux, C. Jenness). So voted..” (Motion: Belanger, second: Chau)
Dec 9Adopt: Vote - Accept/Expend $50,000 FY26 Earmarked Funds -…Motion: In City Council, Given 2nd Reading, Motion “To Adopt” by C.…Passed Unanimous, 9 present · see note
December 9, 2025: Adopt: Vote - Accept/Expend $50,000 FY26 Earmarked Funds - McInerney Park
In City Council, Given 2nd Reading, Motion “To Adopt” by C. Scott, seconded by C. Jenness. Adopted per Roll Call vote 9 yeas (C. Belanger, C. Chau, C. Gitschier, C. Mercier, C. Nuon, C. Robinson, M. Rourke, C. Scott, C. Yem), 2 absent (C. Descoteaux, C. Jenness). So voted.
The minutes name Wayne Jenness as seconder, but Wayne Jenness is not shown as present, so none is shown.
From the minutes
“In City Council, Given 2nd Reading, Motion “To Adopt” by C. Scott, seconded by C. Jenness. Adopted per Roll Call vote 9 yeas (C. Belanger, C. Chau, C. Gitschier, C. Mercier, C. Nuon, C. Robinson, M. Rourke, C. Scott, C. Yem), 2 absent (C. Descoteaux, C. Jenness). So voted..” (Motion: Scott)
Dec 9Adopt: Vote - Accept/Expend $50,000 FY26 Earmarked Funds -…Motion: In City Council, Given 2nd Reading, Motion “To Adopt” by C.…Passed Unanimous, 9 present · see note
December 9, 2025: Adopt: Vote - Accept/Expend $50,000 FY26 Earmarked Funds - Varnum Cemetery
In City Council, Given 2nd Reading, Motion “To Adopt” by C. Scott, seconded by C. Jenness. Adopted per Roll Call vote 9 yeas (C. Belanger, C. Chau, C. Gitschier, C. Mercier, C. Nuon, C. Robinson, M. Rourke, C. Scott, C. Yem), 2 absent (C. Descoteaux, C. Jenness). So voted.
The minutes name Wayne Jenness as seconder, but Wayne Jenness is not shown as present, so none is shown.
From the minutes
“In City Council, Given 2nd Reading, Motion “To Adopt” by C. Scott, seconded by C. Jenness. Adopted per Roll Call vote 9 yeas (C. Belanger, C. Chau, C. Gitschier, C. Mercier, C. Nuon, C. Robinson, M. Rourke, C. Scott, C. Yem), 2 absent (C. Descoteaux, C. Jenness). So voted..” (Motion: Scott)
Dec 9Adopt: Vote - Approve Change of Edson Cemetery Chapel…Motion: In City Council, Given 2nd Reading, Motion “To Adopt” by C.…Passed Unanimous, 9 present · see note
December 9, 2025: Adopt: Vote - Approve Change of Edson Cemetery Chapel to Girard P. “Jerry” Largay Chapel
In City Council, Given 2nd Reading, Motion “To Adopt” by C. Scott, seconded by C. Jenness. Adopted per Roll Call vote 9 yeas (C. Belanger, C. Chau, C. Gitschier, C. Mercier, C. Nuon, C. Robinson, M. Rourke, C. Scott, C. Yem), 2 absent (C. Descoteaux, C. Jenness). So voted.
The minutes name Wayne Jenness as seconder, but Wayne Jenness is not shown as present, so none is shown.
From the minutes
“In City Council, Given 2nd Reading, Motion “To Adopt” by C. Scott, seconded by C. Jenness. Adopted per Roll Call vote 9 yeas (C. Belanger, C. Chau, C. Gitschier, C. Mercier, C. Nuon, C. Robinson, M. Rourke, C. Scott, C. Yem), 2 absent (C. Descoteaux, C. Jenness). So voted..” (Motion: Scott)
Dec 9Request adoption of subcommittee recommendation to accept proposed rules…Motion: Motion by C. Mercier, seconded by C. Scott to request adoption…Passed · see note
December 9, 2025: Request adoption of subcommittee recommendation to accept proposed rules and fees for the Board of Parks
Motion by C. Mercier, seconded by C. Scott to request adoption of subcommittee recommendation to accept proposed rules and fees for the Board of Parks. So voted.
The minutes give the result only (“So voted”, a voice vote), so MassVoter does not show how each councilor voted.
From the minutes
“Motion by C. Mercier, seconded by C. Scott to request adoption of subcommittee recommendation to accept proposed rules and fees for the Board of Parks. So voted..” (Motion: Mercier, second: Scott)
Dec 9Adopt: Wire Insp. - National Grid - Request relocation…Motion: In City Council, Motion “To adopt and accept the accompanying order”…Passed · see note
December 9, 2025: Adopt: Wire Insp. - National Grid - Request relocation of (1) existing SO pole at 138 Cross Street
In City Council, Motion “To adopt and accept the accompanying order” by C. Gitschier, seconded by C. Chau. So voted.
The minutes give the result only (“So voted”, a voice vote), so MassVoter does not show how each councilor voted.
From the minutes
“In City Council, Motion “To adopt and accept the accompanying order” by C. Gitschier, seconded by C. Chau. So voted..” (Motion: Gitschier, second: Chau)
Dec 2Adopt: Loan Order - Amend High School ProjectMotion: Motion “To adopt” by C. Yem, seconded by C. Scott. DEFEATED…Failed 7–2 · No: Descoteaux, Gitschier
December 2, 2025: Adopt: Loan Order - Amend High School Project
Motion “To adopt” by C. Yem, seconded by C. Scott. DEFEATED per Roll Call vote 7 yeas (C. Belanger, C. Chau, C. Jenness (ZOOM), C. Mercier, M. Rourke, C. Scott, C. Yem), 2 nays (C. Descoteaux, C. Gitschier), 2 absent (C. Nuon, C. Robinson). So voted.
Yes: Belanger, Chau, Jenness, Mercier, Rourke, Scott, YemNo: Descoteaux, GitschierThe minutes record this as failing with more yeas than nays (7 to 2); some council votes need a two-thirds majority (for example borrowing, appropriations or zoning). MassVoter shows the result as the minutes record it.
From the minutes
“Motion “To adopt” by C. Yem, seconded by C. Scott. DEFEATED per Roll Call vote 7 yeas (C. Belanger, C. Chau, C. Jenness (ZOOM), C. Mercier, M. Rourke, C. Scott, C. Yem), 2 nays (C. Descoteaux, C. Gitschier), 2 absent (C. Nuon, C. Robinson). So voted..” (Motion: Yem, second: Scott)
Nov 25Adopt: Order - 60 Day TrialMotion: In City Council, Given 2nd Reading, Motion “To Adopt” by C.…Passed 10–0 · see note
November 25, 2025: Adopt: Order - 60 Day Trial
In City Council, Given 2nd Reading, Motion “To Adopt” by C. Yem, seconded by C. Scott. Adopted per Roll Call vote 10 yeas (C. Belanger, C. Chau, C. Descoteaux, C. Gitschier, C. Jenness, C. Mercier, C. Robinson, M. Rourke, C. Scott, C. Yem), 1 absent (C. Nuon). So voted.
Yes: Belanger, Chau, Descoteaux, Gitschier, Jenness, Mercier, Robinson, Rourke, Scott, YemThe roll call lists Vesna Nuon as absent for this vote; left out of it.
From the minutes
“In City Council, Given 2nd Reading, Motion “To Adopt” by C. Yem, seconded by C. Scott. Adopted per Roll Call vote 10 yeas (C. Belanger, C. Chau, C. Descoteaux, C. Gitschier, C. Jenness, C. Mercier, C. Robinson, M. Rourke, C. Scott, C. Yem), 1 absent (C. Nuon). So voted..” (Motion: Yem, second: Scott)
Nov 25Remove from agenda: Ordinance - Amend Chap 222.24 -…Motion: Motion to remove from agenda by C. Gitschier, seconded by C.…Passed · see note
November 25, 2025: Remove from agenda: Ordinance - Amend Chap 222.24 - Needle Exchange Program
Motion to remove from agenda by C. Gitschier, seconded by C. Chau. So voted.
The minutes give the result only (“So voted”, a voice vote), so MassVoter does not show how each councilor voted.
From the minutes
“Motion to remove from agenda by C. Gitschier, seconded by C. Chau. So voted..” (Motion: Gitschier, second: Chau)
Nov 18Adopt: Ordinance - Amend Chap 222.23 - Supervised Drug…Motion: Motion “To adopt” by C. Robinson, seconded by C. Gitschier. Adopted…Passed 8–2 · No: Jenness, Nuon
November 18, 2025: Adopt: Ordinance - Amend Chap 222.23 - Supervised Drug Consumption Sites
Motion “To adopt” by C. Robinson, seconded by C. Gitschier. Adopted per Roll Call vote 8 yeas (C. Belanger, C. Chau, C. Descoteaux, C. Gitschier, C. Mercier, C. Robinson, M. Rourke, C. Yem), 2 Nays (C. Jenness, C. Nuon), 1 absent (C. Scott). So voted.
Yes: Belanger, Chau, Descoteaux, Gitschier, Mercier, Robinson, Rourke, YemNo: Jenness, Nuon
From the minutes
“Motion “To adopt” by C. Robinson, seconded by C. Gitschier. Adopted per Roll Call vote 8 yeas (C. Belanger, C. Chau, C. Descoteaux, C. Gitschier, C. Mercier, C. Robinson, M. Rourke, C. Yem), 2 Nays (C. Jenness, C. Nuon), 1 absent (C. Scott). So voted..” (Motion: Robinson, second: Gitschier)
From the Lowell City Council’s official minutes, posted by the City Clerk in the city’s Agenda Center (City Council). We check every vote against the councilors present and quote the exact wording. MassVoter never grades or scores officials. Photos: the City of Lowell’s official councilor headshots, from each councilor’s page in the city’s staff directory (linked from “Meet the City Council” on lowellma.gov).
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