Council members are elected by voters in nine administrative districts that, since 1991, are reapportioned every ten years.

[3] Enacted in 1973, the City and County Charter establishes the council's legislative power and responsibility for Honolulu County, including its budget, public safety, zoning and municipal development, and other governmental affairs.

[5] The mayor-council system of municipal government was created when the consolidated city-county of Honolulu was established in the city charter adopted by the 1907 territorial legislature.

Unlike the current nine-member city council, the original board included seven elected at-large supervisors led by the Mayor of Honolulu.

[7] In 1959, the same year in which Hawaiʻi became a U.S. state, the city and county adopted a new charter that reapportioned three seats of the council from at-large to specific rural districts.

If no candidate wins a majority of the primary vote, the top two face off in November.

By law, voters have a limited initiative power to propose bills unrelated to the repeal of taxes, appropriation of money, and other financial activities.

The city council presents a bill during the first reading, and refers it to the appropriate committees for review.

Given its setting of the city's budget and oversight of its financial activities, the council can order audits of county departments and agencies.

Hawaiʹi Chronicles II : Contemporary Island History from the Pages of Honolulu Magazine.