Boston City Council

Any person seeking to become a City Councillor in Boston must meet the following requirements:

• Be at least eighteen years of age
• Be a registered voter in Massachusetts
• Be a resident of their district for at least one year when elected
• Receive 1500 signatures from registered voters for At Large City Councillor
• Receive 200 signatures from registered voters for District City Councillor

File:CityCouncil chambers Boston CityHall.png (used until 1969)]]

{{See main|Boston City Council (1822–1909)}}

Prior to 1909, Boston's legislative body was bicameral, with an eight-member Board of Aldermen as well as a Common Council made up of three representatives from each of the 25 wards in the city. When the Boston City Charter was rewritten in 1909, the Board of Aldermen and the Common Council were replaced by a nine-member unicameral City Council.O'Connor, T.H. (1997). Boston Irish: A Political History. New York: Back Bay Books. All nine councillors were elected at-large for terms lasting two years. The new charter also gave the Mayor the power to veto all acts of the City Council. The first council meeting as a unicameral body occurred on February 7, 1910.{{cite web|title=Boston City Council 1910–2009: Selected Accomplishments|page=4|url=http://www.cityofboston.gov/Images_Documents/100%20Years%20City%20Council%20Revised_tcm3-15851.pdf|access-date=March 31, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101224070420/http://www.cityofboston.gov/Images_Documents/100%20Years%20City%20Council%20Revised_tcm3-15851.pdf|archive-date=December 24, 2010|df=mdy-all}}

The procedure for electing city councillors was changed by Chapter 479 of the Acts of 1924, which provided for the election of 22 city councillors, one from each ward, beginning with the biennial election in 1925. The procedure was changed again by Chapter 356 of the Acts of 1951, which provided for the election of nine city councillors, all at large, for two-year terms.{{cite web|title=Archives Guide ~ City Council|url=http://m.cityofboston.gov/archivesandrecords/guide/council.asp|access-date=April 27, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20150428005716/http://m.cityofboston.gov/archivesandrecords/guide/council.asp|archive-date=April 28, 2015|df=mdy-all}} In November 1981, Boston voters approved again changing the composition of the council, to 13 members: 9 district representatives and 4 at-large members.{{cite news| last = Radin| first = Charles A.| title = Sansone asks neighborhood input on Hub voting-district lines| pages = 1| newspaper = The Boston Globe| date = November 12, 1981| id = {{ProQuest|294237682}} }}

The 1981 referendum establishing the current 13-member composition of the Council did not indicate how the district lines would be drawn, only that the districts be of approximately equal population and district lines not cut across city precincts.

The Council created a districting committee to propose several different possible district maps and hold public hearings before presenting one plan to the council to approve. State law required the City Council to make a final decision on the districts within 90 days of being notified that the referendum had officially passed, meaning that the Council voting on the districts would be the 1982 Council, not the 1981 Council creating them. Then-president Patrick McDonough, who opposed district representation, appointed Rosemarie Sansone, a major advocate of district representation, as chair of the districting committee, but chose Frederick C. Langone, Dapper O'Neil, and John W. Sears as the other three members, all of whom opposed district representation.{{cite news| last = Radin| first = Charles A.| title = Boston district debate begins with sparring over South End

| pages = 1| newspaper = The Boston Globe| date = December 9, 1981| id = {{ProQuest|294126626}} }} Both Langone and O'Neil would be returning to the Council in 1982, but Sansone did not run for re-election in 1981 and would not be able to vote on the district boundaries if the committee did not work quickly to present a plan to the council before the end of the year. Public hearings over possible district boundaries were full of heated debate between advocates of drawing lines to protect neighborhood unity and advocates of drawing lines to create two predominantly minority districts and give minorities a voice in local government.{{cite news| last = Ashbrook| first = Tom| title = Dorchester speakers spar over districting proposals| pages = 1| newspaper = The Boston Globe| date = December 15, 1981| id = {{ProQuest|294105725}} }} Contention centered around Dorchester and the South End. Dorchester, Boston's largest neighborhood, needed to be split into at least two districts.{{cite news| last = Radin| first = Charles A.| title = Districts – A clash of plans| pages = 1| newspaper = The Boston Globe| date = January 24, 1982| id = {{ProQuest|294125017}} }} A simple split in half would create either a north and a south district or an east and a west district. An east district would be largely White (75% or greater) and a west district would be largely African-American. North and south districts would have less extreme majorities. Many residents were opposed to both divisions, stating that they would increase racial segregation in Dorchester and continue the political powerlessness of minorities. A more complicated split taking into account areas with large minority populations would create one predominantly minority district and one predominantly white district but treat Dorchester as several smaller neighborhoods to be divvied up among surrounding neighborhoods rather than as one community. In various proposals, the South End, due to its location, was grouped with either South Boston or Back Bay/Beacon Hill by advocates of neighborhood unity, or Roxbury by advocates of minority-dominated districts.

Two days before the 90-day deadline, freshman councillor Terrence McDermott, who had been appointed as Sansone's replacement for chair of the districting committee, presented a plan to the Council which was approved 7–2 (the dissenting votes came from Raymond Flynn and Bruce Bolling).{{cite news |last=Powers |first=John |title=Neighborhood boy remaps city; Terry McDermott solved a political Rubik's Cube |page=1 |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=March 7, 1982 |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/294085292 |url-access=limited |via=pqarchiver.com |access-date=March 1, 2009}}{{cite news |last=Jordan |first=Robert A. |title=COUNCIL OK'S 9 DISTRICTS |page=1 |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=February 25, 1982 |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/294126031 |url-access=limited |via=pqarchiver.com |access-date=February 26, 2018}} Today's district boundaries are only slightly different from those adopted in 1982, with the South End and South Boston forming one district, and Dorchester roughly split into an east and a west district. The Council faced more challenges after finalizing the new districts, such as whether or not district councillors should receive a lower salary than at-large councillors{{cite news| last = Jordan| first = Robert A.| title = Issue for Hub council: What to pay district councilmen| pages = 1| newspaper = The Boston Globe| date = March 4, 1982| id = {{ProQuest|294155654}} }} and where office space for four additional councillors could be found in City Hall.

By law, Boston municipal elections are nonpartisan in that candidates do not represent a specific political party. However, most city councillors have been members of the Democratic Party. John W. Sears was the first Republican elected to the Boston City Council, in 1980.{{cite news | title = Short Circuits | pages = 1 | newspaper = The Boston Globe | date = January 27, 1980| id = {{ProQuest|293356284}} }} Chuck Turner, who served during 1999–2010, was a member of the Green-Rainbow Party. Althea Garrison, who served during 2019,{{cite news |last=Valencia |first=Milton |newspaper=The Boston Globe |title=Finally, Althea Garrison will be a city councilor |date=September 6, 2018 |access-date=December 20, 2018 |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2018/09/05/finally-althea-garrison-will-city-councilor/tozzKn1oduz7XdSDmzkKNJ/story.html#}} has identified as an independent since 2012, but formerly served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives as a Republican.

When the Mayor of Boston is absent from the city, or vacates the office, the City Council president serves as acting mayor. The city charter places some restrictions on an acting mayor's authority:{{cite news |url=https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2021/01/22/boston-acting-mayor |title=What's actually the difference between being mayor and acting mayor? |first=Nik |last=DeCosta-Klipa |website=Boston.com |date=January 22, 2021 |access-date=January 22, 2021}} an acting mayor "shall possess the powers of mayor only in matters not admitting of delay, but shall have no power to make permanent appointments." Three presidents of the Boston City Council have served as acting mayors of Boston for extended periods after the Mayor vacated the office:

• John E. Kerrigan served as acting mayor from January 1945{{cite news |title=Kerrigan Faces Busy Day as Boston's Acting Mayor |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/79395035/kerrigan-faces-busy-day-as-bostons-acti/ |date=January 5, 1945 |newspaper=The Boston Globe |page=1 |accessdate=June 11, 2021 |url-access=limited |via=newspapers.com}} to January 1946,{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/18327811/congressman_takes_job_as_boston_mayor/ |title=Congressman Takes Job as Boston Mayor |newspaper=The Tampa Tribune |date=January 8, 1946 |accessdate=March 15, 2018 |via=newspapers.com}} after mayor Maurice J. Tobin was elected Governor of Massachusetts. The Massachusetts legislature granted Kerrigan full mayoral authority.{{cite news |title=Kerrigan First World War II Vet to Head City Government |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/79395724/kerrigan-first-world-war-ii-vet-to-head/ |date=January 26, 1945 |newspaper=The Boston Globe |page=1 |last=Doherty |first=Joseph |accessdate=June 11, 2021 |via=newspapers.com}} He sought election to a full term, but lost the November 1945 mayoral election to James Michael Curley.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/17963039/curley_elected_mayor_of_boston_4th_time/ |title=Curley Elected Mayor Of Boston 4th Time |newspaper=The Philadelphia Inquirer |date=November 7, 1945 |via=newspapers.com}}
• In 1947, upon mayor Curley being sentenced to prison for mail fraud, the Massachusetts legislature passed emergency legislation to bypass council president John B. Kelly, who had recently been acquitted on bribery charges and was in ill health, and granted full mayoral powers to city clerk John Hynes until Curley's release.{{cite news|title=Hynes Is Temporary Mayor: Curley Starts Prison Term in Danbury, Conn. City Clerk Sworn In as Legislature Enacts Law By-Passing Kelly|newspaper=The Boston Daily Globe|date=June 27, 1947 |page=1 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/79398972/hynes-is-temporary-mayor/ |accessdate=June 11, 2021 |via=newspapers.com}}
• Thomas Menino became acting mayor in July 1993 upon mayor Raymond Flynn taking the position of United States Ambassador to the Holy See.{{cite web |title=Menino, 'a neighborhood guy,' now at center stage |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/79394095/menino-a-neighborhood-guy-now-at-cen/ |first=Brian |last=McGrory |page=12 |date=July 13, 1993 |newspaper=The Boston Globe |access-date=June 11, 2021 |via=newspapers.com}} Menino served as acting mayor until he was elected to his first full term in November 1993.{{cite web |title=Mayor Menino through the years |url=https://www.boston.com/news/politics/2013/03/28/mayor-menino-through-the-years |website=Boston.com |access-date=February 14, 2021 |date=March 28, 2013}}
• Kim Janey became acting mayor in March 2021 upon mayor Marty Walsh taking the position of United States Secretary of Labor.{{cite news |url=https://www.boston.com/news/politics/2021/03/22/kim-janey-become-bostons-acting-mayor |title=Kim Janey becomes Boston's acting mayor, makes history as first Black person, woman to hold the office |first=Christopher |last=Gavin |website=Boston Herald |date=March 22, 2021 |access-date=March 22, 2021}} Janey was an unsuccessful candidate in the November 2021 mayoral election.{{cite news |url=https://www.boston.com/news/politics/2021/04/06/kim-janey-will-seek-a-full-term |title=Acting Boston Mayor Kim Janey enters race to seek a full term |first=Christopher |last=Gavin |website=Boston.com |date=April 6, 2021 |access-date=April 6, 2021}}{{cite web |url=https://www.boston.gov/departments/elections/unofficial-election-results |title=Unofficial Election Results |website=Boston.gov |date=October 3, 2016 |access-date=September 15, 2021}}

In June 2021, the city council granted itself the authority to remove its president by a two-thirds majority vote. Should that action occur while a council president is serving as acting mayor, the role of acting mayor would be assigned to the new council president who would be elected by a simple majority of the city council.{{cite news |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/06/09/metro/boston-councilors-pass-rule-change-that-would-allow-them-remove-council-president-including-acting-mayor-janey/ |title=Boston councilors pass rule change that would allow them to remove a council president, including Acting Mayor Janey |first=Danny |last=McDonald |website=The Boston Globe |url-access=limited |date=June 9, 2021 |accessdate=June 11, 2021}} In 2022, the rule was removed. {{cite web | url=https://www.boston.gov/departments/city-council/city-council-rules | title=City Council rules | date=July 2, 2016 }}

• First female member: Mildred M. Harris (elected in 1937 special election){{cite news |title=Mrs. Harris Wins City Council Race |work=The Boston Daily Globe |date=March 31, 1937}}
• First black member: Laurence H. Banks (elected 1949, not seated until 1951 due to legal disputes){{cite book |last1=Herman |first1=Jennifer L. |title=Massachusetts Encyclopedia |date=2008 |publisher=North American Book Distributors}}{{cite news |title=Banks Finally Seated in City Council After 21-Month Contest |work=The Boston Daily Globe |date=August 7, 1951}}
• First black female member: Ayanna Pressley (elected 2009){{cite web|title=City Council: Ayanna Pressley, At-Large|url=https://www.boston.gov/departments/city-council/ayanna-pressley|website=City of Boston|date=March 7, 2016|access-date=July 6, 2018|archive-date=July 13, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180713155959/https://www.boston.gov/departments/city-council/ayanna-pressley|url-status=live}}
• First Latino member: Felix D. Arroyo (filled vacancy in 2003, elected 2003){{cite news |title=Bostons first Latino City Councilor sworn in |url=https://www.peoplesworld.org/article/boston-s-first-latino-city-councilor-sworn-in/ |work=People's World |date=January 23, 2003}}
• First Latina member: Julia Mejia (elected 2019){{Cite web|date=2020-01-06|title=Julia Mejia Sworn In As Boston's First Latina City Councilor|url=https://boston.cbslocal.com/2020/01/06/boston-city-council-julia-mejia-sworn-in/|access-date=2020-06-13|website=CBS Boston|language=en-US}}
• First openly gay member: David Scondras (elected 1983){{cite web |url=http://bostonspiritmagazine.com/2013/10/boston-mayors-race-then-and-now/ |title=Boston Mayor's Race: Then and Now |first=Mark |last=Krone |website=bostonspiritmagazine.com |date=October 10, 2013 |accessdate=February 22, 2018}}
• First Asian-American member: Sam Yoon (elected 2005){{cite news |url=http://www.boston.com/news/globe/magazine/articles/2005/12/18/the_new_kid/ |title=The New Kid |work=The Boston Globe |date=December 18, 2005 |first=Sam |last=Allis }}
• First Asian-American female member: Michelle Wu (elected 2013){{cite web |last1=Marston |first1=Celeste Katz |title=Mayoral candidate Michelle Wu says she's not in 'the typical mold of a Boston politician' |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/mayoral-candidate-michelle-wu-says-s-not-typical-mold-boston-politicia-rcna1764 |website=NBC News |access-date=25 August 2021 |language=en |date=25 August 2021}}
• First transgender member: Althea Garrison (filled vacancy in 2019){{cite web |title=Media Faces A Delicate Issue In Covering Boston City Councilor Althea Garrison |url=https://www.wgbh.org/news/local-news/2019/01/11/media-faces-a-delicate-issue-in-covering-boston-city-councilor-althea-garrison |website=WGBH |date=January 11, 2019 |access-date=7 September 2021}}
• First female president: Louise Day Hicks (elected president 1976){{cite news |last1=Woo |first1=Elaine |title=Louise Day Hicks, 87; Boston Politician Was Early Critic of Busing |work=The Los Angeles Times |date=October 23, 2003}}
• First black president: Bruce Bolling (elected president 1986){{cite magazine |magazine=Jet |title=Boston Council Member Bruce Bolling Magazine Candidacy In Mayoral Race |volume=84 |number=12 |date=July 19, 1993 |page=29 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DrsDAAAAMBAJ |via=Google Books}}
• First Asian-American president: Michelle Wu (elected president 2016){{cite news |last=Encarnacao |first=Jack |url=https://www.bostonherald.com/news/local_politics/2016/01/michelle_wu_takes_reins_as_boston_city_council_president |title=Michelle Wu takes reins as Boston City Council president |work=Boston Herald |date=2016-01-05 |access-date=2016-01-05 }}
• First black female president: Andrea Campbell (elected president 2018){{cite news|title=Andrea Campbell to be the next City Council president|work=The Boston Globe|date=December 9, 2017|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2017/12/09/campbell-next-city-council-president/jSHCOgOaUxBU4MjXxHKPEL/story.html|access-date=January 28, 2018}}
• First Muslim member: Tania Fernandes Anderson (elected 2021){{cite web|url=https://www.wgbh.org/news/local-news/2021/11/03/tania-fernandes-anderson-makes-history-as-bostons-first-muslim-city-councilor-elect|title=Tania Fernandes Anderson Makes History As Boston's First Muslim City Councilor-Elect|date=November 3, 2021|access-date=December 8, 2021|last=Bedford|first=Tori|website=WGBH}}
• First Haitian-American member: Ruthzee Louijeune (elected 2021) {{Cite web |title=Louijeune wins solid 3rd-place finish; first Haitian American to join council {{!}} Dorchester Reporter |url=https://www.dotnews.com/2021/louijeune-wins-solid-3rd-place-finish-first-haitian-american-join |access-date=2023-11-10 |website=www.dotnews.com |language=en}}

File:2012 Boston City Council electoral districts map.jpg

{{asof|2020|1}}, the City Council has the following committees:{{cite web |url=https://www.boston.gov/departments/city-council#committees |title=Standing Committees, Special Committees |website=boston.gov |date=January 29, 2016 |access-date=January 8, 2020}}

; Standing committees

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• Arts, Culture, and Special Events
• Census and Redistricting
• City, Neighborhood Services, and Veterans Affairs
• Civil Rights
• Community Preservation Act
• Education
• Environment, Sustainability, and Parks
• Government Operations
• Healthy Women, Families, and Communities

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• Homelessness, Mental Health, and Recovery
• Housing and Community Development
• Jobs, Wages, and Workforce Development
• Planning, Development, and Transportation
• Public Safety and Criminal Justice
• Rules and Administration
• Small Business and Consumer Affairs
• Ways and Means
• Whole

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;Special committees

• Special committee on Charter Reform

The salary for councillors is half of the mayor's salary. Every four years, the Council votes on whether or not to raise the mayor's salary, thereby also raising its own salaries or not.

In June 2018, the Council voted to increase the salary of the mayor from $199,000 to $207,000, effective after the mayoral election of November 2021 (term starting in January 2022); this increased the salary of councillors to $103,500, effective after the council elections of November 2019 (terms starting in January 2020).{{cite news |url=https://www.bostonherald.com/2018/06/29/editorial-elected-leaders-profit-as-we-pay/ |title=Editorial: Elected leaders profit as we pay |newspaper=Boston Herald |date=June 29, 2018 |access-date=March 23, 2019}}{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/29817479/mayor_councilors_could_get_4_raises/ |title=Mayor, councilors could get 4% raises |first=Milton J. |last=Valencia |newspaper=The Boston Globe |page=B5 |date=June 13, 2018 |access-date=March 23, 2019 |via=newspapers.com}}

(#) denotes different instances of a councillor serving as president

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:1.{{note|a}} Kerrigan served as acting mayor during a portion of this term as council president{{cite news |title=Kerrigan First World War II Vet to Head City Government |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/79395724/kerrigan-first-world-war-ii-vet-to-head/ |date=January 26, 1945 |newspaper=The Boston Globe |pages=1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/116537611/kerrigan-first-world-war-ii-vet-to-head/ 8] |last=Doherty |first=Joseph |access-date=2023-01-15 |via=Newspapers.com}}

:2.{{note|b}} O'Neil was elected council president after the death of predecessor.{{cite news|last=Marquard|first=Bryan|title='Dapper' O'Neil, champion of personal politics, dies at 87|url=https://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/obituaries/articles/2007/12/20/dapper_oneil_champion_of_personal_politics_dies_at_87/?page=2|access-date=May 31, 2012|newspaper=Boston Globe|date=December 20, 2007}}

:3.{{note|c}} Menino served as acting mayor during a portion of his council presidency{{cite web |title=Menino, 'a neighborhood guy,' now at center stage |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/79394095/menino-a-neighborhood-guy-now-at/ |first=Brian |last=McGrory |page=12 |date=July 13, 1993 |newspaper=The Boston Globe |access-date=2023-01-15 |via=Newspapers.com}}

:4.{{note|d}} Janey served as acting mayor for a portion of her council presidency, and was absent from council proceedings during that time. Matt O'Malley presided over the council in her place.{{cite web |url=https://www.boston.gov/news/meet-boston-city-councils-new-council-president-matt-omalley |title=Meet Boston City Council's New Council President, Matt O'Malley |website=boston.gov |date=March 31, 2021 |accessdate=April 6, 2021}}

• City Departments' Annual Reports
• Complete stenographic machine record of the public meeting of Boston City Council
• Full text of Captions from Webcasts/Cablecasts of Boston City Council
• [https://www.boston.gov/departments/city-council City Council page] at boston.gov
• Publications of Boston City Council
• Communications of Boston City Council distributed by email
• Communications of Council Committees

• List of members of the Boston City Council, 1822–present
• Boston Board of Selectmen, 1630s–1822
• Boston City Hall, seat of municipal government 1969–present
• Old City Hall (Boston), seat of municipal government 1865–1969
• Suffolk County Courthouse, seat of municipal government {{circa|1841}}–1865
• Old State House (Boston, Massachusetts), seat of municipal government {{circa|1830}}–1841

{{reflist|30em}}

• {{cite news |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=October 24, 2015 |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/10/23/city-councilors-travel-globe-privately-funded-jaunts/rgCa8qqbD7ZXbWbAAJryJL/story.html |title=Councilors insist their far-flung trips benefit the city |first1=Meghan E. |last1=Irons |first2=Andrew |last2=Ryan}}
• {{cite web |website=commonwealthmagazine.org |date=April 18, 2016 |url=https://commonwealthmagazine.org/politics/four-arguments-for-four-year-boston-city-council-terms/ |title=Four arguments for four-year Boston City Council terms |first1=James |last1=Sutherland |first2=James |last2=Chisholm}}
• {{cite web |url=https://www.boston.gov/news/firsts-women-city-council |title=Firsts From the Women of the City Council |website=boston.gov |date=March 9, 2018 |quote=There has been at least one woman on the Boston City Council for the past 41 years, since 1974. The current makeup of the Council includes the most women ever in history! In honor of Women’s History Month, here are some firsts being represented by the current women of the City Council.}}

{{commons category|Boston City Council}}

• [https://www.boston.gov/departments/city-council City Council page] at boston.gov
• [http://archives.cityofboston.gov/repositories/2/resources/35 City Council Committee hearing transcripts] at Boston Archives (index)

{{BostonCityCouncil}}

{{Presidents of the Boston City Council}}

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Category:Boston City Council

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