CITY GOVERNMENT



City Government


The City of Jacksonville operates under a Mayor/Council form of government and is a home rule municipality.  Jacksonville was officially chartered  February 15, 1867 and incorporated as a city on April 4, 1887.  Its population, according to the 2010 Census, is 19,446.

The Mayor is the chief elected official,  The Mayor, City Clerk and City Treasurer are elected by the registered voters of Jacksonville, for four-year terms.  The City Council has ten members, with two alderman representing each of the city's five wards for four-year terms.  Five alderman are elected every two years.

Through the legal advice of the City Attorney, the City Council, with the support of the Mayor, establishes policies and adopts city ordinances and resolutions which regulate city activities. 

The Jacksonville City Council meets the second and fourth Monday of each month in the City Council Chamber, 200 West Douglas, Jacksonville, Illinois, beginning at 6:00 p.m. with the regular Workshop session, followed by the regularly scheduled City Council meeting, but no later than 7:00 p.m.