MassVoter.com← Lowell City CouncilLowell City Council · 2026–2027 Council · Special meeting
January 5, 2026
8 recorded votes, 8 with disagreement.
Sources: Official minutes (PDF) · City meeting page
A monthly email on what it voted on, starting in November.
Attendance
Note on these minutes: Inauguration of the 2026-2027 council (the City Clerk chaired until the Mayor was chosen). The minutes list each councilor’s choice on both Mayor ballots and the Vice Chair ballot.
Present: Sokhary Chau, John Descoteaux, Erik R. Gitschier, Belinda M. Juran, Sidney L. Liang, Sean McDonough, Rita Mercier, Vesna Nuon, Corey Robinson, Daniel P. Rourke, Kimberly Scott
Absent: None
Every vote, in order
INAUGURATION 2026 - 2027 CITY COUNCIL-ELECT
Accept the official notice of the election results
Motion by C. Nuon, seconded by C. Scott “to accept the communication and place it on file.” 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. Nuon, seconded by C. Scott “to accept the communication and place it on file.” So voted..” (Motion: Nuon, second: Scott)
Proceed to elect a Mayor
Motion to proceed to elect a Mayor by C. Scott seconded by C. Gitschier. 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 proceed to elect a Mayor by C. Scott seconded by C. Gitschier. So voted..” (Motion: Scott, second: Gitschier)
Elect the Mayor, first ballot (no majority)
On the first ballot the Council did not reach a majority for any candidate as the Mayor of the City of Lowell. (C. Juran, C. McDonough, C. Robinson selected C. Gitschier; C. Gitschier, C. Liang, C. Nuon selected C. Nuon; and C. Chau, C. Descoteaux, C. Mercier, C. Rourke, C. Scott selected C. Rourke)
A vote choosing a person, so MassVoter shows the result only. The minutes read: “On the first ballot the Council did not reach a majority for any candidate as the Mayor of the City of Lowell. (C. Juran, C. McDonough, C. Robinson selected C. Gitschier; C. Gitschier, C. Liang, C. Nuon selected C. Nuon; and C. Chau, C. Descoteaux, C. Mercier, C. Rourke, C. Scott selected C. Rourke)”
From the minutes
“On the first ballot the Council did not reach a majority for any candidate as the Mayor of the City of Lowell. (C. Juran, C. McDonough, C. Robinson selected C. Gitschier; C. Gitschier, C. Liang, C. Nuon selected C. Nuon; and C. Chau, C. Descoteaux, C. Mercier, C. Rourke, C. Scott selected C. Rourke).”
Elect the Mayor, second ballot (Erik R. Gitschier chosen)
On the second ballot C. Gitschier was selected the Mayor of the City of Lowell by receiving 6 votes. (C. Gitschier, C. Juran, C. Liang, C. McDonough, C. Nuon, C. Robinson selected C. Gitschier; and C. Chau, C. Descoteaux, C. Mercier, C. Rourke, C. Scott selected C. Rourke) The Chair declared C, Gitschier as Mayor of the City of Lowell and Judge Geary administered the oath of office. C. Chau and C. Descoteaux requested their vote be recorded for C. Gitschier after the roll.
A vote choosing a person, so MassVoter shows the result only. The minutes read: “On the second ballot C. Gitschier was selected the Mayor of the City of Lowell by receiving 6 votes. (C. Gitschier, C. Juran, C. Liang, C. McDonough, C. Nuon, C. Robinson selected C. Gitschier; and C. Chau, C. Descoteaux, C. Mercier, C. Rourke, C. Scott selected C. Rourke) The Chair declared C, Gitschier as Mayor of the City of Lowell and Judge Geary administered the oath of office. C. Chau and C. Descoteaux requested their vote be recorded for C. Gitschier after the roll.”
From the minutes
“On the second ballot C. Gitschier was selected the Mayor of the City of Lowell by receiving 6 votes. (C. Gitschier, C. Juran, C. Liang, C. McDonough, C. Nuon, C. Robinson selected C. Gitschier; and C. Chau, C. Descoteaux, C. Mercier, C. Rourke, C. Scott selected C. Rourke) The Chair declared C, Gitschier as Mayor of the City of Lowell and Judge Geary administered the oath of office. C. Chau and C. Descoteaux requested their vote be recorded for C. Gitschier after the roll..”
Proceed to elect a Vice Chair
Motion to proceed to elect a Vice Chair by C. Juran, seconded by C. McDonough. 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 proceed to elect a Vice Chair by C. Juran, seconded by C. McDonough. So voted..” (Motion: Juran, second: McDonough)
Elect the Vice Chair (Vesna Nuon chosen)
On the first ballot the Council designated Councilor Nuon has the Vice Chair of the City of Lowell Council by receiving 6 votes. (C. Gitschier, C. Juran, C. Liang, C. McDonough, C. Nuon, C. Robinson selected C. Nuon; and C. Chau, C. Descoteaux, C. Mercier, C. Rourke, C. Scott selected C. Descoteaux)
A vote choosing a person, so MassVoter shows the result only. The minutes read: “On the first ballot the Council designated Councilor Nuon has the Vice Chair of the City of Lowell Council by receiving 6 votes. (C. Gitschier, C. Juran, C. Liang, C. McDonough, C. Nuon, C. Robinson selected C. Nuon; and C. Chau, C. Descoteaux, C. Mercier, C. Rourke, C. Scott selected C. Descoteaux)”
From the minutes
“On the first ballot the Council designated Councilor Nuon has the Vice Chair of the City of Lowell Council by receiving 6 votes. (C. Gitschier, C. Juran, C. Liang, C. McDonough, C. Nuon, C. Robinson selected C. Nuon; and C. Chau, C. Descoteaux, C. Mercier, C. Rourke, C. Scott selected C. Descoteaux).”
Adopt present rules of the City Council for 2026-2027
Motion to adopt present rules of the City Council for 2026-2027 by C. Robinson, seconded by C. Liang. 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 adopt present rules of the City Council for 2026-2027 by C. Robinson, seconded by C. Liang. So voted..” (Motion: Robinson, second: Liang)
- Time for meeting to stand adjourned.
Adjourn
Motion to Adjourn by C. Descoteaux, 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 Adjourn by C. Descoteaux, seconded by C. Chau. So voted..” (Motion: Descoteaux, second: Chau)
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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