1 of 1
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3260 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2306
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf
_________________
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act to promote responsive city government.
_______________
PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf17th Worcester1/17/2025 1 of 12
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3260 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2306
By Representative LeBoeuf of Worcester, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2306) of
David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf for legislation to establish a "Plan G" form of city government.
Municipalities and Regional Government.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 3790 OF 2023-2024.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
_______________
An Act to promote responsive city government.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Section 1 of chapter 43 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020
2Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the definition of “Plan F” the following 2
3definitions:-
4 “Plan G”, a city government and legislative body, to be known as the city council,
5composed of at least 9 council members, 1 of whom shall be elected as mayor by and from such
6council members and shall be the chief executive of the city, and a public advocate. The council
7members shall be elected at large by closed list proportional representation pursuant to section
8144. The public advocate shall be elected at large by instant runoff voting pursuant to section
9138. 2 of 12
10 “Political association”, shall apply to an association, with a name expressed in not more
11than 4 words and not using the name “Independent,” which filed with the secretary of state on a
12form provided by the secretary of state signatures from registered voters totaling ½ of 1 per cent
13of the combined number of voters registered in the cities that have adopted Plan G, requesting
14that such voters may change their registration to such association, provided however, that the
15association shall henceforth determine its own association membership, through admittance,
16suspension or expulsion, without allowing membership in any other political association and
17without discrimination on the basis of race, sex, gender identity or other protected class status.
18Certificates showing that each of the signers of said request is a registered voter at the stated
19address in a city that has adopted Plan G, signed by the city clerk, shall accompany the petition.
20Any such request filed before December first in the year of a municipal election shall not be
21effective until said December first. To maintain their status as an association, such associations
22will have polled at least 3 per cent of the combined vote cast in the cities that have adopted Plan
23G in the preceding municipal election or will have submitted to the secretary of state the
24association’s membership lists of registered voters equal to or greater than 1 per cent of the
25combined number of voters registered in the cities that have adopted Plan G. Certificates
26showing that each of the association members is a registered voter at the stated address in a city
27that has adopted Plan G, and is a willing association member approved by the association, signed
28by the city clerk, shall accompany the association’s membership lists. Such associations shall be
29eligible at the following municipal election to submit candidate lists, the candidates being elected
30from an association’s own members and the order of candidates on the list likewise determined
31by that association’s membership, and an association platform, the content of the platform
32determined by an association’s membership, to the city clerk in cities that have adopted Plan G 3 of 12
33and in which an association has a membership totaling 1/10 of 1 per cent of the number of voters
34registered in that city or 30 signatures, whichever number is higher.
35 SECTION 2. Chapter 43 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following
3612 sections:-
37 Section 135. The method of city government provided for in the 11 following sections
38shall be known as Plan G. Upon the adoption by a city of Plan G, it shall become operative as
39provided in sections 1 to 45, inclusive, except otherwise provided by the following sections.
40 Section 136. The government of the city and the general management and control of all
41its affairs shall, except as otherwise provided in this chapter, be vested in a city council, which
42shall exercise its powers in the manner hereinafter set forth, but subject to sections 1 to 45,
43inclusive.
44 Section 137. (a) The city council shall consist of no fewer than 9 council members all of
45whom shall, at each regular municipal election, be elected at large by closed list proportional
46representation as provided in section 144 for terms of 5 years each.
47 (b) A council member’s seat on the city council shall be vacated if the council member
48resigns their membership in their political association or a majority of the membership of a city
49councilor’s political association votes to expel that council member from the association. A
50vacated council member’s seat shall be filled before the next city council meeting by the next
51candidate appearing on that association’s list who is not already serving on the city council. All
52seats on the city council shall be vacated the day before the first Monday in January if a majority
53of each of the memberships of the political associations whose council members form a majority
54on the city council call, in the second or third year of the council’s term, for a new regular 4 of 12
55municipal election to be held that year on the Tuesday next following the first Monday of
56November to elect a new city council to a new 5 year term starting the first Monday in January
57following the election. A political association may only call for a new election no sooner than 14
58months after the last municipal election and no sooner than 2 months before that year’s election
59date. The term of the public advocate shall not be affected by such a call for a new election.
60 (c) The council members shall serve until their successors are qualified. Any vacancy
61shall be filled by the next candidate appearing on the list of the political association whose
62council member’s seat is vacant and who is not already serving on the city council. Each council
63member shall represent no more than 10,000 inhabitants of the city.
64 Section 138. (a) There shall be a public advocate directly elected to a term of 4 years
65through instant runoff voting by the registered voters of the city pursuant to subsection (b). It
66shall be the duty of the public advocate to represent and serve the public interest. On the first
67Monday in January following the regular municipal election, the public advocate shall make an
68affirmation, before a justice of the peace, to perform faithfully the duties of the office.
69 (b) The words “instant runoff voting” shall mean an election system in which voters rank
70the candidates for an office in order of preference; provided, however, that instant runoff voting
71shall only apply to a ballot on which there are not fewer than 2 candidates. Each voter shall cast a
72single vote by ranking candidates in order of preference, indicating the voter’s first choice,
73second choice, third choice and continuing until the voter has assigned a single numerical
74ranking to each candidate on the ballot or until the voter chooses to stop ranking. If 1 candidate
75receives more than 50 per cent of the first choice votes cast for the office in the election, that
76candidate shall be declared the winner. If no candidate receives more than 50 per cent of the first 5 of 12
77choice votes cast in the first round, an instant runoff shall automatically occur. In an instant
78runoff, the candidate receiving the least number of votes in the prior round shall be deemed the
79eliminated candidate and shall be eliminated from the election. The highest ranked non-
80eliminated candidate of each voter shall be the voter’s first choice vote and such first choice vote
81shall be used in calculating the total number of votes for each remaining non-eliminated
82candidate. The instant runoff process shall be repeated until a candidate shall have received more
83than 50 per cent of the total first choice votes cast for the office in the election and, at such time,
84the winner shall be declared. There shall be no write-in option. Any vacancy in the office of
85public advocate shall be filled by recalculating the results of the last election but with the
86candidate who vacated the office eliminated and their votes redistributed accordingly.
87 Section 139. (a) The city council shall have and exercise all the legislative powers of the
88city including the powers of a school committee provided in this chapter, except that the mayor
89and public advocate shall have the authority hereinafter specified and that the city clerk shall
90have the powers and duties which may be conferred and imposed upon them by law.
91Notwithstanding the provisions of section 31, the city council shall serve as the school
92committee for the city and shall have the powers and duties conferred and imposed by law on
93school committees. The city council shall have the power to amend or reject the mayor’s budget
94as well as decisions of city boards.
95 (b) The city council, elected as aforesaid, shall meet on the first Monday in January
96following the regular municipal election, and the council members shall severally make an
97affirmation, before the public advocate, to perform faithfully the duties of their respective
98offices, except that any council member-elect not present shall so make an affirmation at the first
99regular meeting of the city council thereafter which the council member-elect attends. 6 of 12
100 (c) For the purposes of organization, the public advocate shall be temporary chair until
101the president of the city council has been elected. Each political association represented with an
102association member on the city council shall have informed the public advocate one week in
103advance of its nomination of 1 of its city councilors for council president, unless that council
104member is unable to serve in which case their next alternate nominee, if any, shall be nominated
105and so forth. The city council shall then elect the council president from its own members by a
106majority vote of all the council members elected or if a majority is not reached after 10 votes, by
107a plurality vote. Council members shall vote for council president according to an ordered list
108created and publicized by the membership of their political association. To secure a majority for
109council president, political associations may publicly negotiate with each other in advance of the
110vote for council president over council rules and priorities. The council member elected council
111president shall make an affirmation to perform faithfully the duties of the office of council
112president. The council president may make the affirmation of that office at the same meeting at
113which the council president is elected. The council president shall serve a term lasting so long as
114the council president continues to serve as a city councilor and the city council does not remove
115the council president for choice of another city councilor to serve as council president. The
116organization of the city council shall take place pursuant to this section, notwithstanding the
117absence, death, refusal to serve or non-election of one or more of the council members; provided,
118that a majority of all the members elected to the city council are present and have qualified. If the
119city council determines the office of council president has become vacant, the city council shall
120in like manner elect 1 of its members to fill such office. In case of the temporary absence or
121disability of the council president, the city council shall designate another council member to
122perform the duties of council president during such absence or disability. The council president 7 of 12
123shall be the chair of the city council. The council president shall continue to be a voting council
124member and shall not concurrently serve as mayor.
125 (d) Upon instruction by the membership of their political association, a council member
126may at any time file with the city clerk, or withdraw the filing of, a pink slip of paper indicating
127the date, the council member’s name, the council member’s political association, the council
128member’s statement of no confidence in the council president and their association’s choice of
129another council member to serve as council president. The information contained on all pink
130slips on file with the city clerk shall be a public record and available on the city’s website. If the
131city clerk determines a majority exists for choice of another particular council member for
132council president, that council member with a majority shall become council president and shall
133make an affirmation to perform faithfully the duties of the office of council president at the next
134city council meeting and the former council president shall revert to their position as a council
135member only.
136 (e) At the first meeting of a city council’s term, each council member who appeared first
137in the order of their political association’s candidate list submitted to the city clerk shall be
138considered nominated for mayor, unless that council member is unable to serve or serving as
139president of the city council in which case the next council member from their association’s list,
140if any, shall be nominated and so forth. The city council shall then elect the mayor from its own
141members by a majority vote of all the council members elected, or if a majority is not reached
142after 10 votes by a plurality vote. City councilors shall vote for mayor according to an ordered
143list created and publicized by the membership of their political association. To secure a majority
144for mayor, political associations may publicly negotiate with each other in advance of the vote
145for mayor over representation in a mayoral administration, administration policy, and the 8 of 12
146potential mayor’s budget. The council member elected mayor shall make an affirmation to
147perform faithfully the duties of the office of mayor. The mayor may make the affirmation of that
148office at the same meeting at which the mayor is so elected. The mayor shall serve a term lasting
149so long as the mayor continues to serve as a council member and the city council does not
150remove the mayor for choice of another council member to serve as mayor. If the city council
151determines the office of mayor has become vacant, the city council shall in like manner elect 1 of
152its members to fill such office. In case of the temporary absence or disability of the mayor, the
153city council shall designate the head of a city department to perform the duties of mayor during
154such absence or disability.
155 (f) Upon instruction by the membership of their political association, a council member
156may at any time file with the city clerk, or withdraw the filing of, a pink slip of paper indicating
157the date, the council member’s name, the council member’s political association, the council
158member’s statement of no confidence in the mayor and their association’s choice of another
159council member to serve as mayor. The information contained on all pink slips on file with the
160city clerk shall be a public record, available on the city’s website and available upon request of a
161council member at any council meeting. If the tally of slips is requested at a council meeting, the
162requesting council member will explain the reasons for the council member’s request. If the city
163clerk shows a majority exists for choice of another particular council member for mayor, the
164mayor shall have the right to be heard and then shall revert to their position as a council member
165only. That council member with a majority shall become mayor and shall make an affirmation to
166perform faithfully the duties of the office of mayor at the same meeting. The city clerk shall not
167entertain a request for a tally of slips at a city council meeting less than 1 year from a council
168member having taken office as mayor. 9 of 12
169 Section 140. The mayor shall be the chief executive of the city, and except as otherwise
170specifically provided in this chapter, it shall be the duty of the mayor to supervise the
171administration of the affairs of the city, including the administration of all departments,
172commissions, boards and officers of the city, whether established before its adoption of this plan
173or thereafter, except that of the public advocate, city clerk, or city council; to see that within the
174city the laws of the commonwealth and the ordinances, resolutions and regulations of the city
175council are faithfully executed; to make such recommendations to the city council concerning the
176affairs of the city as may to the mayor seem desirable; to make reports to the city council from
177time to time upon the affairs of the city; to submit to time for questions from the city council
178once per month; and to keep the city council fully advised of the city's financial condition and its
179future needs. The mayor shall prepare and submit to the city council budgets as required of the
180mayor by section 32 of chapter 44 and, in connection therewith, may, to the extent provided by
181said section 32 in the case of a mayor, require the submission to the mayor, by all departments,
182commissions, boards and offices of the city, of estimates of the amounts necessary for their
183expenses. The mayor shall make all appointments and removals in the departments,
184commissions, boards and offices of the city for whose administration the mayor is responsible,
185except as otherwise provided in this chapter, and shall perform such other duties as may be
186prescribed by this chapter or be required of the mayor by ordinance or resolution of the city
187council. The mayor shall have and possess, and shall exercise, all the powers, rights and duties,
188other than legislative, that the mayor had, possessed or exercised immediately prior to the
189adoption of this plan by the mayor or city manager, boards, commissions and committees of the
190city and their members, severally or collectively. The mayor shall not have, possess or exercise 10 of 12
191the powers, rights or duties that are conferred by this chapter upon the public advocate, the city
192clerk, or the city council. The mayor shall continue to be a voting member of the city council.
193 Section 141. Such officers and employees as the city council, with the advice of the
194mayor, shall determine are necessary for the proper administration of the departments,
195commissions, boards and offices of the city for whose administration the mayor is responsible
196shall be appointed, and may be removed, by the mayor. The mayor shall report every
197appointment and removal to the city council at the next meeting thereof following such
198appointment or removal. The mayor may authorize the head of a department, commission or
199board, or the holder of an office, for whose administration they are responsible, to appoint and
200remove subordinates in such department, commission, board or office. All appointments by, or
201under the authority of the mayor, if subject to chapter 31 and the rules and regulations made
202under authority thereof, shall be made in accordance therewith, and all other appointments as
203aforesaid shall be on the basis of executive and administrative ability and training and experience
204in the work to be performed.
205 Section 142. Officers and employees of the city appointed by, or under the authority of,
206the mayor shall perform the duties required of them by the mayor, under general regulations of
207the city council. Any violation of this section shall constitute sufficient grounds for removal of
208any such officer or employee.
209 Section 143. The city clerk shall be, ex-officio, clerk of the city council, and shall keep
210records of its proceedings; but, in case of the city clerk’s absence or disability or of a vacancy in
211the office, the city council shall elect a temporary clerk, who shall be sworn to the faithful
212discharge of the clerk’s duties and shall act as clerk of the city council until the city clerk 11 of 12
213resumes the clerk’s duties or a new city clerk is qualified. All final votes of the city council on
214questions involving the expenditure of $50 or more, or upon the request of any council member
215any vote of the city council, shall be by yeas and nays and shall be entered on the records. The
216affirmative vote of a majority of all the council members elected to the city council shall be
217necessary for the passage of any order, ordinance, resolution or vote, except that the affirmative
218vote of a majority of the council members present shall be sufficient to adjourn any meeting of
219the city council.
220 Section 144. (a) The council members shall be elected using closed list proportional
221representation. Each ballot shall contain lists of candidates organized by political association.
222Each list shall contain a number of candidates no more than double the number of city council
223seats. Each registered voter of the city shall vote for 1 list. There shall be no write-in option. The
224city council seats shall be apportioned to the associations as a proportion of the vote their
225candidate list receives in the election to the nearest whole seat, with candidates highest on an
226association’s list being seated first to fill the seats their association has been apportioned. On the
227ballots for use in electing council members there shall be printed (i) the names of the political
228associations which have submitted candidate lists; (ii) the names of each candidate in order; (iii)
229a summary submitted by each political association of their platform and principles consisting of
230no more than 100 words; and (iv) the following directions to voters, the first sentence under the
231heading to be printed in prominent bold-faced type:
232 DIRECTION TO VOTERS
233 Mark only one (1) list.
234 Mark your choice of list with an X in the box provided. 12 of 12
235 (b) The full platform of each association shall be made available for review on the city’s
236website, at the city clerk’s office, in public libraries and schools in the city, at all other public
237institutions and at all municipal election polling places.
238 Section 145. A regular municipal election under this plan shall take place on the Tuesday
239next following the first Monday of November in a year an election is called, and all members of
240the city council shall be elected at such election. The public advocate shall be elected at the same
241election in which the presidential election is to be held.
242 Section 146. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, all regular elections held under
243this plan shall be subject to all general laws relating to elections and corrupt practices, so far as
244applicable and not inconsistent with this chapter.