Redmond has a strong Mayor/Council, non-partisan form of government. The Mayor and seven council members are each elected directly by the people for staggered four-year terms. All represent the community at large.

The Mayor's Office provides leadership to City departments to direct the many functions of city government, and implements the policies and ordinances of the City Council. The Mayor's Office assesses community needs, proposes policies, and develops strategies to address those needs.

The Mayor's Office directly manages the following activities:

• Overall city administration
• Issue analysis and policy coordination 
• Cross-departmental coordination
• Budget coordination 
• Regional cooperation
• Board and Commission appointments 
• Civil and criminal legal services 
• Hearing Examiner services

Government Guide
A City of Redmond Government Guide (pdf) is available to help answer some of the questions of how the City's government works including duties and responsibilities of Boards and Commissions, the City Council and the Hearing Examiner.  The Guide also defines land-use terms and the Public Hearing process.