Elko City Government

LEGISLATIVE BODY OF THE CITY OF ELKO

Chartered City
Elko is a second class, chartered city established on March 19, 1917 and operates under a City Council/Manager form of government. The Mayor and City Council are the legislative body who in turn
establish and enact the city laws.

Precincts
The City of Elko is divided into twelve (12) precincts, which are established according to population figures. Each precinct is to be as nearly equal to every other precinct in population, and should not exceed the population of any other precinct by more than 5 percent. All precincts must be contiguous.

Mayor and City Council
The legislative power of the city is vested in a city council consisting of four members and the mayor. The members of the city council and mayor must be: (a) Bona fide residents of the city for at least 2 years before their election, (b) and qualified electors within the city. All members of the city council must be voted upon by the registered voters of the city at large and shall serve for terms of 4 years. The Mayor presides over the city council meetings and serves as the chief executive officer of the city. The Mayor designates from among the members of the city council members to act as liaison for the different departments and functions of the city. The duties of each department must be designated by the city council.

Municipal Elections
The Mayor and Councilpersons are each elected for four-year terms. Municipal elections are held in even numbered years. The Mayor and two Councilpersons are conducted in one election year, while the other two Councilpersons are elected the following municipal election. Elko does not hold a primary election and the General Election is held in conjunction with the Elko County General Election in November.

Appointed Officials
The Elko City Council appoints the following officers:
City Clerk
City Attorney
Chief of Police
Municipal Judge
Fire Chief
City Manager


The city council may establish such other offices and appoint such other officers as it may deem necessary.