The seven members on Olympia's City Council are elected to four year terms from the community as-a-whole, not from districts or wards. The positions are non-partisan. The terms are staggered, with positions ending for three members at one time and four members the next. Olympia City Council elections are part of the Thurston County general election held in odd-numbered years.
Position 1 is designated as the Mayor's position. The Mayor is elected by the citizens to that position. In Olympia, the Mayor and Councilmembers have equal voting authority, with the Mayor voting on all issues as one of seven Councilmembers.
Olympia City Council meetings are usually held on Tuesday evenings at 7:00 pm in the City Council Chambers at Olympia City Hall, 601 4th Avenue E, unless otherwise noticed. Council meetings are televised live on TCTV, Cable Channel 3, and made available for online viewing the following day.
