Like all local government heads in the Philippines, the mayor is elected via popular vote, and may not be elected for a fourth consecutive term (although the former mayor may return to office after an interval of one term).

[2] The following men who had served the town as such were: Around January 1889, the Gobernadorcillo position is reverted to capitan before the occurrence of the Philippine Independence of 1898.

[2] The following served that position: In 1912, the Governor of the Department of Mindanao and Sulu, General John "Black Jack" Pershing granted the petition of separating Dipolog from Dapitan (which Dipolog was a barrio of since it was reverted to such in 1904), and reorganize as a municipality again.

The Vice Mayor is the presiding officer of the Dipolog City Council, although he can only vote as the tiebreaker.

After leaving office, a number of mayors held various public positions and made an effort to remain in the limelight.