The five Council members are elected by the Holtville voters to serve a four-year term. Each year the Mayor is elected by a majority vote of the City Council peers.

The City Council is the governing body of the City. The City Council's responsibility is to develop public policy, approve programs, allocate revenues to meet the City's needs and adopt an annual City budget.

The City Council also functions as the legislative body and exercises the legal powers designated to them by the State government code pertaining to general law cities.