Councilor

A councilor is a member of a council, typically a local government body such as a city, town, or county council. Councilors are usually elected by residents to participate in making laws, setting budgets, and guiding public policy within their jurisdiction. In some systems, other types of councils exist at regional or national levels.

Etymology and spelling: The term derives from council, from Old French conseil and Latin consilium, with the agent noun formed as councilor. Variants include councilor (common in American English) and councillor or councillor in Commonwealth usage; the homophone counselor refers to an adviser, which is a different word.

Duties and powers: Responsibilities vary by jurisdiction but typically include attending meetings, voting on ordinances, budgets, and appointments, serving on committees, representing constituents, and overseeing administration. In council-manager systems, the council sets policy and hires an executive city manager; in strong-mayor systems, the mayor may have additional executive authority.

Election and terms: Councilors are generally elected for fixed terms, often two to four years, either from geographic districts or at-large. Qualifications and recall processes differ by jurisdiction. Some councils have term limits or allow simultaneous service as a councilor with other elected offices.

See also and distinction: The term is distinct from counselor, which denotes a personal adviser or professional counselor. Similarly, councilor should not be confused with other titles such as alderman or council member, though in many places they are analogous roles with different nomenclature.