The members of the council, known as Departmental Councillors and 26 in number, are directly elected for a 6-year term in single seat constituencies; half of the seats are renewed every 3 years.

Mayotte became an overseas department and region and a single territorial collectivity in 2011, ending its previous unique transitional status of departmental collectivity.

Until March 2015 the assembly of a department of France was known as a General Council (French: Conseil Général).

All debates and archives are public; however, the president or 5 members can ask for a session to be private regarding a certain matter.

The CCEEM is composed of 22 unelected members coming from 4 middle schools of the collectivity, with a renewable term of 6 years.