The mayor and the other 40 city councillors (consiglieri comunali) are elected for a five years term by the Italian and EU citizens residing in Naples.

Voters can express their choice for the mayor and for a list of municipal councillors not necessarily supporting the same mayor-candidate (voto disgiunto).

If no mayor-candidate receives a majority of votes, a run-off election is held two weeks later among the top two candidates.

Since 1993, under provisions of new local administration law, the Mayor of Naples is chosen by direct election, originally every four, and since 2001 every five years.

The office of the Deputy Mayor of Naples was officially created in 1993 with the adoption of the new local administration law.