MassVoter.com← Woburn City Council
Woburn Member
Charles Viola
Ward 7 · 3 terms in this record
A monthly email on how they voted, starting in November.
Council terms
Record at a glance · 2022–2023 Council
On split votes, Viola voted the same way as…
- Michael P. Concannon100% (9 of 9)
- Joseph E. Demers100% (9 of 9)
- Lou DiMambro100% (9 of 9)
- Jeffrey P. Dillon100% (9 of 9)
- Robert J. Ferullo100% (8 of 8)
- Darlene Mercer-Bruen89% (8 of 9)
- Joanne E. Campbell63% (5 of 8)
- Richard F. Gately11% (1 of 9)
How these numbers work
- Counted from the official minutes, for 2022–2023 Council only. Committee meetings and routine votes (adjourning, approving minutes) are not counted.
- Attendance counts the meetings where the minutes list Viola as present or absent at the start.
- Only votes the minutes record member by member are counted. Voice votes and votes given only as a count (for example 6-3 with no names) are not.
- Percentages are shown only when there are at least 10 meetings or votes to count.
- A split vote is one where at least one member voted yes and another voted no. “In the minority” means on the side with fewer votes; ties are not counted.
- “Whole council” combines every member’s record for the same term.
These numbers describe the record; they are not a grade. A no vote, an abstention or a minority vote is neither good nor bad. MassVoter never rates officials.
In the news
No recent stories found that name Charles Viola in the headline or opening.
Stories that name Charles Viola in the headline or opening, newest first, from 25 free news outlets (see the list). Headlines appear as each outlet published them; MassVoter does not write, choose or rate them. Only stories that are free to read are listed.
Disclosure: MassVoter’s founder, Michael Silvia, is the publisher of Fall River Reporter and New Bedford Guide.
Attendance
At the start of 48 of 48 City Council meetings in 2022–2023 Council.
Missed none.
Every meeting (48)
- Dec 19, 2023 · Regular: Present
- Dec 5, 2023 · Regular: Present
- Nov 30, 2023 · Special: Present
- Nov 21, 2023 · Regular: Present
- Oct 17, 2023 · Regular: Present
- Sep 19, 2023 · Regular: Present
- Aug 15, 2023 · Regular: Present
- Jul 11, 2023 · Regular: Present
- Jun 20, 2023 · Regular: Present
- Jun 12, 2023 · Special: Present
- Jun 6, 2023 · Regular: Present
- May 25, 2023 · Special: Present
- May 16, 2023 · Regular: Present
- Apr 18, 2023 · Regular: Present
- Apr 4, 2023 · Regular: Present
- Mar 21, 2023 · Regular: Present
- Mar 7, 2023 · Regular: Present
- Feb 21, 2023 · Regular: Present
- Feb 7, 2023 · Regular: Present
- Jan 17, 2023 · Regular: Present
- Jan 3, 2023 · Regular: Present
- Dec 20, 2022 · Regular: Present
- Dec 6, 2022 · Regular: Present
- Dec 1, 2022 · Special: Present
- Nov 22, 2022 · Special: Present
- Nov 15, 2022 · Regular: Present
- Nov 1, 2022 · Regular: Present
- Oct 18, 2022 · Regular: Present
- Oct 4, 2022 · Regular: Present
- Sep 20, 2022 · Regular: Present
- Aug 30, 2022 · Special: Present
- Aug 16, 2022 · Regular: Present
- Jul 19, 2022 · Regular: Present
- Jun 21, 2022 · Regular: Present
- Jun 13, 2022 · Special: Present
- Jun 7, 2022 · Regular: Present
- May 26, 2022 · Special: Present
- May 17, 2022 · Regular: Present
- May 3, 2022 · Regular: Present
- Apr 19, 2022 · Regular: Present
- Apr 5, 2022 · Regular: Present
- Mar 15, 2022 · Regular: Present
- Mar 1, 2022 · Regular: Present
- Feb 15, 2022 · Regular: Present
- Feb 1, 2022 · Regular: Present
- Jan 18, 2022 · Regular: Present
- Jan 4, 2022 · Regular: Present
- Jan 3, 2022 · Special: Present
Votes where councilors disagreed · 2022–2023 Council
Nov 21Take the next two matters collectivelyMotion: Motion made and 2nd to TAKE THE NEXT TWO MATTERS COLLECTIVELY,…Passed 7–0 · Viola: Yes
November 21, 2023: Take the next two matters collectively
Motion made and 2nd to TAKE THE NEXT TWO MATTERS COLLECTIVELY, all in favor, 7-0-1 (Councilor Ferullo abstained) (Gately Absent)
Voted: Yes
Yes: Campbell, Concannon, Demers, DiMambro, Dillon, Mercer-Bruen, ViolaAbstained: Ferullo
From the minutes
“Motion made and 2nd to TAKE THE NEXT TWO MATTERS COLLECTIVELY, all in favor, 7-0-1 (Councilor Ferullo abstained) (Gately Absent).”
Nov 21Make A finding to follow the guidance as outlined…Motion: Motion made and 2nd to MAKE A FINDING TO FOLLOW THE…Passed 8–0 · Viola: Not recorded
November 21, 2023: Make A finding to follow the guidance as outlined by the city solicitor
Motion made and 2nd to MAKE A FINDING TO FOLLOW THE GUIDANCE AS OUTLINED BY THE CITY SOLICITOR, all in favor 8-0-19 (Gately Absent).
The journal gives the count as 8-0-19 and names Richard F. Gately (absent), which does not add up with the eight members on the roll call (Joanne E. Campbell, Robert J. Ferullo, Joseph E. Demers, Jeffrey P. Dillon, Darlene Mercer-Bruen, Lou DiMambro, Charles Viola and Michael P. Concannon). Showing the count only.
From the minutes
“Motion made and 2nd to MAKE A FINDING TO FOLLOW THE GUIDANCE AS OUTLINED BY THE CITY SOLICITOR, all in favor 8-0-19 (Gately Absent)..”
Nov 21Make A finding to follow the guidance as outlined…Motion: Motion made and 2nd to MAKE A FINDING TO FOLLOW THE…Passed 8–0 · Viola: Not recorded
November 21, 2023: Make A finding to follow the guidance as outlined by the city solicitor
Motion made and 2nd to MAKE A FINDING TO FOLLOW THE GUIDANCE AS OUTLINED BY THE CITY SOLICITOR, all in favor 8-0-19 (Gately Absent).
The journal gives the count as 8-0-19 and names Richard F. Gately (absent), which does not add up with the eight members on the roll call (Joanne E. Campbell, Robert J. Ferullo, Joseph E. Demers, Jeffrey P. Dillon, Darlene Mercer-Bruen, Lou DiMambro, Charles Viola and Michael P. Concannon). Showing the count only.
From the minutes
“Motion made and 2nd to MAKE A FINDING TO FOLLOW THE GUIDANCE AS OUTLINED BY THE CITY SOLICITOR, all in favor 8-0-19 (Gately Absent)..”
Sep 19The special permit be denied, with the following findings:…Motion: Motion made and 2nd that the SPECIAL PERMIT BE DENIED, with…Passed 2–0 · Viola: Not recorded
September 19, 2023: The special permit be denied, with the following findings: 1. The Plan is incomplete and not stamped by an engineer; and 2. The Plan had multiple parcels with multiple landowners…
Motion made and 2nd that the SPECIAL PERMIT BE DENIED, with the following findings: 1. The Plan is incomplete and not stamped by an engineer; and 2. The Plan had multiple parcels with multiple landowners and the application only referenced the one parcel at 2 Lowell Street, ROLL CALL: Campbell - Absent; Demers - Yes; Dillon - Yes; DiMambro - Yes; Ferullo - Opposed; Gately - Yes; Mercer-Bruen - Yes; Viola - Yes; Concannon - Opposed. Motion Passes.
Yes: Concannon, FerulloEach member who voted named the same choice (Opposed).
From the minutes
“Motion made and 2nd that the SPECIAL PERMIT BE DENIED, with the following findings: 1. The Plan is incomplete and not stamped by an engineer; and 2. The Plan had multiple parcels with multiple landowners and the application only referenced the one parcel at 2 Lowell Street, ROLL CALL: Campbell - Absent; Demers - Yes; Dillon - Yes; DiMambro - Yes; Ferullo - Opposed; Gately - Yes; Mercer-Bruen - Yes; Viola - Yes; Concannon - Opposed. Motion Passes..”
Sep 19Take the next two matters collectivelyMotion: Motion made and 2nd to take the next two matters collectively,…Passed 6–0 · Viola: Yes
September 19, 2023: Take the next two matters collectively
Motion made and 2nd to take the next two matters collectively, all in favor, 6-0-1-2 (Campbell Absent; Ferullo and Gately Abstain).
Voted: Yes
Yes: Concannon, Demers, DiMambro, Dillon, Mercer-Bruen, ViolaAbstained: Ferullo, Gately
From the minutes
“Motion made and 2nd to take the next two matters collectively, all in favor, 6-0-1-2 (Campbell Absent; Ferullo and Gately Abstain)..”
Jul 11Take the next two matters collectivelyMotion: Motion made and 2nd to take the next two matters collectively,…Passed 7–0 · Viola: Yes
July 11, 2023: Take the next two matters collectively
Motion made and 2nd to take the next two matters collectively, all in favor, 7-0-2 (Ferullo and Gately Abstain).
Voted: Yes
Yes: Campbell, Concannon, Demers, DiMambro, Dillon, Mercer-Bruen, ViolaAbstained: Ferullo, Gately
From the minutes
“Motion made and 2nd to take the next two matters collectively, all in favor, 7-0-2 (Ferullo and Gately Abstain)..”
Jun 6Take the next two matters collectivelyMotion: Motion made and 2nd to take the next two matters collectively,…Passed 7–0 · Viola: Yes
June 6, 2023: Take the next two matters collectively
Motion made and 2nd to take the next two matters collectively, all in favor, 7-0-2 (Ferullo and Gately Abstain).
Voted: Yes
Yes: Campbell, Concannon, Demers, DiMambro, Dillon, Mercer-Bruen, ViolaAbstained: Ferullo, Gately
From the minutes
“Motion made and 2nd to take the next two matters collectively, all in favor, 7-0-2 (Ferullo and Gately Abstain)..”
Apr 4Take the next two matters collectivelyMotion: Motion made and 2nd to take the next two matters collectively,…Passed 6–0 · Viola: Yes
April 4, 2023: Take the next two matters collectively
Motion made and 2nd to take the next two matters collectively, ROLL CALL: Campbell - Yes; Demers - Yes; Dillon - Absent; DiMambro - Yes; Ferullo - Abstain; Gately - Abstain; Mercer-Bruen - Yes; Viola - Yes; Concannon - Yes.
Voted: Yes
Yes: Campbell, Concannon, Demers, DiMambro, Mercer-Bruen, ViolaAbstained: Ferullo, Gately
From the minutes
“Motion made and 2nd to take the next two matters collectively, ROLL CALL: Campbell - Yes; Demers - Yes; Dillon - Absent; DiMambro - Yes; Ferullo - Abstain; Gately - Abstain; Mercer-Bruen - Yes; Viola - Yes; Concannon - Yes..”
Apr 4The order be adopted — From the Traffic Commission:…Motion: Motion made and 2nd that the ORDER BE ADOPTED, ROLL CALL:…Passed 7–0 · Viola: Yes
April 4, 2023: The order be adopted — From the Traffic Commission: ordered Be it ordered that Schedule 1 Parking Restrictions of the 2017 Woburn Traffic Code, as amended, be further amended by…
Motion made and 2nd that the ORDER BE ADOPTED, ROLL CALL: Campbell - Yes; Demers - Yes; Dillon - Absent; DiMambro - Yes; Ferullo - Abstain; Gately - Yes; Mercer- Bruen - Yes; Viola - Yes; Concannon - Yes.
Voted: Yes
Yes: Campbell, Concannon, Demers, DiMambro, Gately, Mercer-Bruen, ViolaAbstained: Ferullo
From the minutes
“Motion made and 2nd that the ORDER BE ADOPTED, ROLL CALL: Campbell - Yes; Demers - Yes; Dillon - Absent; DiMambro - Yes; Ferullo - Abstain; Gately - Yes; Mercer- Bruen - Yes; Viola - Yes; Concannon - Yes..”
Feb 21Take the next two matters collectivelyMotion: Motion made and 2nd to take the next two matters collectively,…Passed 7–0 · Viola: Yes
February 21, 2023: Take the next two matters collectively
Motion made and 2nd to take the next two matters collectively, all in favor, 7-0-1-1 (Gately Absent, Ferullo Abstain).
Voted: Yes
Yes: Campbell, Concannon, Demers, DiMambro, Dillon, Mercer-Bruen, ViolaAbstained: Ferullo
From the minutes
“Motion made and 2nd to take the next two matters collectively, all in favor, 7-0-1-1 (Gately Absent, Ferullo Abstain)..”
Votes with no disagreement (437)
From the Woburn City Council’s official journals (its minutes), posted on the city’s Minutes & Agendas page (City Council). We check every vote against the councilors present and quote the exact wording. MassVoter never grades or scores officials. Photos (the city’s website has no councilor photos): Robert Toro, Joseph Demers (courtesy of each), Jeffrey Dillon, Lou DiMambro and Charles Viola from Woburn Patch (2019–2023); Yano Amara (December 31, 2025) and Darlene Mercer-Bruen (July 23, 2021, captioned group photo, cropped) from the Daily Times Chronicle; William Pappalardo and Robert Ferullo cropped from the Daily Times Chronicle’s captioned 2026 City Council photo (January 7, 2026). Former councilors show initials.
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