Taunton city councilor 'disgusted' amid election director debate
Taunton Election Director Mark Pacheco's contract is up for renewal, and some members of the Taunton City Council are considering a change in leadership.
At the Tuesday, June 9, 2026, city council meeting, Councilor David Chaves said, "I believe it's time for new leadership in the elections department," citing "all the information that had come to me over the last couple of weeks to a month."
City Councilor Debra Botellio said that she wanted to postpone the decision whether to reappoint Pacheco "so I can talk to Mr. Pacheco directly regarding these allegations so I can make an informed decision." Neither Chaves nor Botellio specified what allegations or information they were referring to.
Ultimately, the City Council voted 5-4 to postpone a vote on Pacheco's contract to a later date. Botellio declined to comment after the meeting, and Chaves declined to identify any specific allegations regarding Pacheco.
https://www.tauntongazette.com/story/news/local/2026/06/10/taunton-city-council-election-director-marc-pacheco/90485395007/