MassVoter.com← Somerville City CouncilSomerville City Council · 2026–2027 Council · Regular meeting
January 2, 2026
6 recorded votes, 6 with disagreement.
Sources: Official minutes (PDF) · Meeting video · City meeting page
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Note on these minutes: Organizational meeting of the 2026-2027 council. Called to order by Ward One City Councilor Matthew McLaughlin.
Present: Jon Link, Wilfred Mbah, Kristen Strezo, Ben Wheeler, Matthew McLaughlin, J.T. Scott, Ben Ewen-Campen, Jesse Clingan, Naima Sait, Lance Davis, Emily Hardt
Absent: None
Every vote, in order
Election #26-0003
Elect the 2026 City Council President (Lance Davis)
An election of a council officer, so MassVoter shows the result only (as for every council election). The minutes record the motion that Lance Davis be elected President as approved, with 10 councilors voting for it (Jon Link, Wilfred Mbah, Kristen Strezo, Ben Wheeler, Matthew McLaughlin, Ben Ewen-Campen, Jesse Clingan, Naima Sait, Lance Davis and Emily Hardt); listed absent: J.T. Scott.
From the minutes
“RESULT: APPROVED AYE: City Councilor At Large Link, City Councilor At Large Mbah, City Councilor At Large Strezo, City Councilor At Large Wheeler, Ward One City Councilor McLaughlin, Ward Three City Councilor Ewen-Campen, Ward Four City Councilor Clingan, Ward Five City Councilor Sait, Ward Six City Councilor Davis, and Ward Seven City Councilor Hardt ABSENT: Ward Two City Councilor Scott.”
Election #26-0004
Elect the 2026 City Council Vice President (Wilfred Mbah)
An election of a council officer, so MassVoter shows the result only (as for every council election). The minutes record the motion that Wilfred Mbah be elected Vice President as approved, with 11 councilors voting for it (Jon Link, Wilfred Mbah, Kristen Strezo, Ben Wheeler, Matthew McLaughlin, J.T. Scott, Ben Ewen-Campen, Jesse Clingan, Naima Sait, Lance Davis and Emily Hardt).
From the minutes
“RESULT: APPROVED AYE: City Councilor At Large Link, City Councilor At Large Mbah, City Councilor At Large Strezo, City Councilor At Large Wheeler, Ward One City Councilor McLaughlin, Ward Two City Councilor Scott, Ward Three City Councilor Ewen-Campen, Ward Four City Councilor Clingan, Ward Five City Councilor Sait, Ward Six City Councilor Davis, and Ward Seven City Councilor Hardt.”
Order #26-0005
That this City Council adopts for 2026 the Rules of the City Council as approved on December 11, 2025
The minutes give the result only, with no count, so MassVoter does not show how each councilor voted.
Order #26-0006
That the bonds of the City Treasurer and Tax Collector be hereby accepted and approved
The minutes give the result only, with no count, so MassVoter does not show how each councilor voted.
Order #26-0007
That the City Treasurer is hereby authorized to appoint Deputy Tax Collectors
The minutes give the result only, with no count, so MassVoter does not show how each councilor voted.
Order #26-0010
That this City Council hereby commits pending business in Committees that have been eliminated by the amendments to the Rules of December 11, 2025, to updated standing committees, as attached
The minutes give the result only, with no count, so MassVoter does not show how each councilor voted.
From the Somerville City Council’s official minutes, posted on the city’s Legistar meeting calendar (July 2022 on) and its older meeting portal (2010 to mid-2022), both linked from the City Council page on somervillema.gov. We check every vote against the councilors present and quote the exact wording. MassVoter never grades or scores officials. Councilor photos: City of Somerville (somervillema.gov) official headshots for Ben Ewen-Campen, Jesse Clingan, Lance Davis, Wilfred Mbah, Naima Sait, J.T. Scott and Kristen Strezo; The Somerville Times (thesomervilletimes.com) for Emily Hardt, Jon Link, Matthew McLaughlin and Ben Wheeler. Former councilors show initials.
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