Boston City Councilor Gabriela Coletta Zapata said she has secured the votes to become the next Council president, but her claim may be challenged by some of her colleagues.

Coletta Zapata, chair of the powerful Government Operations Committee, announced Monday that she has the City Council presidency locked down, seemingly holding off a challenge from Brian Worrell and a late push from Julia Mejia.

“I’m proud to have had the privilege of serving the residents of Boston for eight years with the City Council,” Coletta Zapata said in a statement. “I deeply believe in this institution and in the vital role we play in improving the lives of Bostonians every day.

“The strength of this Council lies in our ability to respect one another, even when we disagree, and to work together with purpose and integrity. When we lead with respect and unity, we model the kind of civic leadership our city deserves — and we get more done for the residents who count on us.”

Coletta Zapata, an ally of Mayor Michelle Wu who represents East Boston, Charlestown, the North End and Wharf District, said she was “proud to have earned the respect and support of my colleagues on the Council and I look forward to the work ahead.”

Brian Worrell, chair of the Council’s Ways and Means Committee and the body’s vice president, was also jockeying for the presidency. Councilor-at-Large Julia Mejia made a late push last week, publicly announcing her bid for the position.

Worrell and Coletta Zapata were rewarded for their support of the Council President Ruthzee Louijeune last term, with the Council’s top two committee chair assignments.

Worrell was approached by his colleagues to be Council president last term, but didn’t actively pursue the role, instead opting to throw his support behind Louijeune, a City Hall source told the Herald.

Louijeune has committed to voting for Coletta Zapata, a source told the Herald. Seven votes are needed to be elected as the body’s president.

Councilor-at-Large Henry Santana, who held off a comeback bid from former Councilor Frank Baker in last week’s election and finished fourth in the at-large race, would serve as vice president.

“Gabriela and I first met when we were both staffers on the City Council and from day one, I’ve watched her grow, lead and deliver for our city,” Santana said in a statement. “I know she will be an exceptional president — thoughtful, committed, and determined to unite our Council and move Boston forward in every neighborhood.”

Coletta Zapata was raised by community advocates in East Boston, and her upbringing included attending neighborhood meetings and events, and multiple protests against airport runway expansion with her mother, Nina.

She was first elected to the City Council in a special election, to replace then-Councilor and now-state Senator Lydia Edwards in May 2022. Prior to joining the Council, she worked as Edwards’ chief of staff.

Coletta Zapata is chair of the Government Operations Committee, which plays a key role in finalizing legislation proposed by the mayor and Council. An ally of Mayor Wu, she helped to shepherd Wu’s tax shift legislation through the Council in its latest iteration, but the home rule petition has fallen flat at the State House.

Should Worrell or Mejia accept a nomination from one of their colleagues for the Council presidency at the body’s first meeting of the next term in early January, it would be the first contested vote in recent years.

Worrell indicated he is still pursuing the presidency.

“I’m honored that colleagues have expressed to me that they are nominating me for Council president,” Worrell said in a statement to the Herald. “I look forward to the vote for Council president on Jan. 5. Our job is to uphold our commitment to Bostonians — by keeping communities safe, expanding housing affordability, and delivering high quality education to every BPS student.”

Mejia, who said last week that she was running to disrupt a Council presidency election process that’s become exclusive, raised similar concerns after Coletta Zapata’s announcement.

“Despite public confirmation that Councilor Coletta Zapata has received enough votes to become the next Council president, I remain deeply concerned about the process,” Mejia said in a statement to the Herald. “Witnessing the absence of a Council-wide decision-making process is troubling. This role should not be decided through back-door deals and promised political favors. We need to do better.”

Part of the jockeying for Council president involves behind the scenes deal-making, with contenders vying to secure votes from their current and future colleagues, by promising chairmanships for their preferred committees, City Hall sources told the Herald.

“In a time marked by dangerous erosion to our democracy at the federal level, here in Boston we have an opportunity to model behavior that inspires confidence in our leadership,” Mejia said.

She urged her colleagues to tap the brakes and undertake a more thorough process before an official vote takes place in early January. Councilor Ed Flynn nominated Mejia for Council president ahead of the vote for Louijeune two years ago, but she chose not to accept.

Like Coletta Zapata, Louijeune announced that she had secured the votes for the Council presidency soon after the election.

“I urge my colleagues to break the habit of rushing through votes before thoughtful deliberation can occur,” Mejia said. “We still have time for a thorough and democratic process as the official vote will not take place until January. Until then, I plan to continue pushing for due diligence and transparency around this matter.”

Flynn, who preceded Louijeune as president, said the selection process should include conversations with all councilors.

“We need to include and value all city council colleagues, including those who may not support the incoming president,” Flynn said in a statement to the Herald. “That’s positive leadership and bringing people together. We must be inclusive and respectful to every colleague.”

In 2014, then-Councilor Wu famously cast her vote to help a conservative candidate, Bill Linehan, get elected president, drawing blowback from progressives. Linehan defeated then-Councilor and now U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley, by an 8-5 vote.

Two years later, the progressive Wu was unanimously elected as Council president.