It is currently composed of 65 councilors, each serving a four-year term, elected using the single non-transferable vote system.

Between the period of 1951 and 1979, the council seats had nearly doubled, while councillors had their term extended to 4 years.

The city council, entering the transition period following Kaohsiung was promoted to a special municipality, was reorganized into the Provisional Kaohsiung City Council on 1 July 1979, with three new seats were added to the provisional city council.

A successive Kaohsiung City Council, replacing the provisional city council, was founded on 25 December 1981 when the transition period ended.

[3] The Government announced in 1950 the reorganization of local governments,[4] including partition of Kaohsiung County and Pingtung County, thus paving way for further devolution in Taiwan.