Honolulu City Council

Honolulu City Council
Type
Type	Unicameral
Term limits	Two consecutive four-year terms
Leadership
Council Chair	Ernest Y. Martin Since January 3, 2013
Vice-Chair	Ikaika Anderson Since January 3, 2013
Floor Leader	Ron Menor Since November 12, 2014
Structure
Seats	9
Length of term	4 years
Authority	Section 3-101, Revised Charter of Honolulu
Salary	$52,446 (2014)
Elections
Last election	November 4, 2014
Next election	November 8, 2016
Meeting place
Honolulu Hale, Honolulu
Website
http://www.honolulu.gov/council

The Honolulu City Council is the legislative branch of the City & County of Honolulu and is considered the second most powerful parliamentary body in the State of Hawaiʻi, following the Hawaiʻi State Legislature. Charged with writing and passing laws for the island of Oʻahu, the Honolulu City Council meets in chambers at Honolulu Hale year-round.

The Honolulu City Council is composed of nine members from nine administrative districts. Each member is elected to no more than two consecutive four-year terms. Elections are nonpartisan in nature and held concurrently with Hawaii state elections with the primary election occurring in August and the general election (if necessary) occurring in November of even number years.

The Honolulu City Council conducts official business from Honolulu Hale, the City and County and mayoral seat. Honolulu Hale was built in 1928, and was designed with classical Spanish villa style architecture. Other offices associated with the Honolulu City Council are also located in other municipal buildings nearby Honolulu Hale, within the Hawaii Capital District, of which Honolulu Hale is part.

In the line of command for the City & County of Honolulu, the Honolulu City Council balances the power of the Mayor of Honolulu and the Prosecuting Attorney of Honolulu. The Honolulu City Council is responsible for the confirmation of the heads of the various departments under the mayor's office. Within the sphere of control of the Honolulu City Council are three bodies: Office of the City Clerk, Office of Council Services and the semi-autonomous Office of the City Auditor.

Within the Honolulu City Council, there are three main leadership positions. The officers of the Honolulu City Council are the Chairman, Vice Chairman and the Floor Leader. In the early 2000s, leadership was highly volatile and often controversially stripped, shuffled and changed.