For several weeks, the race for City Council president has been contested between Council President Leo Robinson and Council Vice President Damali Vidot in what has become an increasingly competitive matchup.
Both candidates are actively seeking commitments from their fellow councillors ahead of a scheduled Dec. 18 meeting to determine the membership’s preference. A simple majority of six votes will be sufficient to secure the presidency, with the first candidate to reach that threshold winning the position.
Vidot had considered running for the leadership role in the previous year but chose instead to accept the vice presidency rather than pursue the top post during her initial term. Following a successful re-election campaign, she has now decided to make her bid for president in the upcoming year. “I’ve served as Vice President for two years and am prepared to facilitate conversations geared to community first and full adherence to the City Charter absent of personal attacks and status quo politics,” she said. “I believe it is my time, but if my colleagues determine that ‘it is not my time’ – as is typical in cases with women leaders – I will humbly continue to be a strong voice and advocate for the community. In all honesty, the title of president limits our ability to speak openly and so either way, it’s a win-win situation for myself and the residents of Chelsea.”
Robinson, the current Council President, has decided to seek another term and pursue a second consecutive year in the role.
According to Robinson, he is running as a candidate and basing his campaign on his track record of leadership. He maintains that the Council requires an experienced leader at this critical juncture and believes he is positioned to guide the body through 2018.
Present indications suggest that both candidates may have secured five committed votes each, counting their own support.
Councillor Giovanni Recupero appears poised to be the deciding factor in this contest. As someone who supports both candidates, Recupero faces a difficult choice between the two.
The race also features considerable uncertainty surrounding three newly elected councillors—Bob Bishop, Calvin Brown, and Joe Perlatonda—whose positions remain unclear, despite widespread speculation about their likely allegiances.
Greater clarity should emerge following the organizational meeting on Dec. 18, with the matter becoming official at the inauguration on Jan. 8.