Local Government

City Government
Mayor Bill Haslam is serving his first term in office. City Council has six representatives elected from districts and three elected 'at-large' representing the entire city.

Mayoral offices are located in the City-County Building (photo on left) in downtown Knoxville.
www.cityofknoxville.org

County Government
The Knox County Commission is the legislative body of Knox County. Nineteen commissioners are elected in even-numbered non-presidential election years to four-year terms from nine districts: two commissioners are elected from each of districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 and 9 and three commissioners from district 5. Districts must conform to the one-person, one-vote rule and district lines are changed each ten years following the federal census. Mike Ragsdale is the current County Mayor.

The Commission elects a chairman and vice-chairman annually, and adopts its own rules and procedures. Utilizing its home rule powers, the Commission adopts ordinances, emergency ordinances, and resolutions that govern the operation of Knox County government or regulate the conduct and affairs of the residents of Knox County. The Commission adopts the annual county budget and sets the county government property tax rate, including that of the Knox County School System.