From its establishment as a town of Manila province in 1859 to 1898, Navotas was led by sixteen (16) governadorcillos.

Beginning in 1901, the year when Navotas became part of the newly established province of Rizal, the town was governed by the municipal president, the title first held by Canuto Celestino.

Congress passed laws giving more autonomy to Local Government Units through the grant of additional powers and lessening of national control affairs.

During the Martial Law Period, President Ferdinand Marcos had changed the structure and functions of LGU’s, thus decentralization suffered the set back with the concentration of power on his hands.

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