An elected Council comprising a mayor and six Councillors governs the City of Nelson. Councillors are elected for four-year terms and each member of Council represents the City at large. The Community Charter and the Local Government Act give Council the authority to set budgets, levy taxes and establish policies to guide the growth, development, and operation of the City for the benefit and protection of its citizens. The current City Council was elected on October 20, 2018, to govern for the four-year period from November 2018 to November 2022. The next general local election is October 15, 2022.