Detroit City Council

The city council was first constituted as the legislative body of the city in 1824. The city began to grow more rapidly in the late 19th century, absorbing immigrants from Europe and migrants from the rural South and other areas. This body was called the Common Council until July 1, 1974. Until the early 20th century, the council was elected from city wards, or single-member districts. However, starting in 1918, at a time of changes in local government thought to be Progressive, the city council voted to require all city council members elected at-large. This reduced representation by geography from wards, where various ethnic groups tended to concentrate. It was considered unusual for a city of Detroit's size, which had competing political parties. While voters in the city have become predominantly affiliated with the Democratic Party, they wanted more representation by district. On November 4, 2009, city voters overwhelmingly approved a referendum to once again elect seven of the nine council seats from single-member districts, and two at-large seats, beginning in 2013. ==Composition==

The council is composed of nine members, seven of whom are district representatives elected from single-member districts, with two additional members elected at-large using block voting. The district representatives are elected by a majority in a general election, with the general election candidates being selected in a top-two non-partisan primary election. The council includes two officers, the president and president pro tempore, who are elected from among the members of the council at the beginning of each new session of the body for four-year terms. The officers can be removed by a unanimous vote of council, exclusive of the member being removed, during any session meeting. Elections to the body are officially non-partisan. Current members in 2025, from left: Durhal II, Santiago-Romero, Johnson, Benson, Duggan, Whitfield-Calloway, Waters, Young III, Sheffield, and Tate. Committees The council has six standing committees: • Budget, Finance & Audit • Neighborhood & Community Services • Internal Operations • Public Health & Safety • Planning and Economic Development • Rules The council is granted the power to form additional committees at its own discretion ==Vacancies and special elections==

If a vacancy occurs on the city council, it is filled by appointment of the city council based on a two-thirds vote of its existing members. The appointee serves until an elected member takes office, which is filled at the next general election scheduled in the city not held sooner than 180 days after the vacancy occurs, be that an election to fill federal, state, county or city offices. ==Former members==

Starting in 1919, nine Detroit City Council members were elected at large. Members of the council, from 1919 to the present, are: • Color coding: pink = Republican; blue = Democratic; light green = Farmer-Labor; dark green = Progressive; gray = unaffiliated. ==Salaries==

Salaries for elected officials are recommended every odd-numbered year by the Detroit Elected Officials Compensation Commission. The 7-member board is appointed by the mayor and approved by the council, each member serving a 7-year term. City council approved a recommendation by the commission in February 2023, with an immediate pay increase of 7% and 3.5% each fiscal year for the next three years. Regular City Council members will be paid $106,231 annually by July 2025, while the City Council President will be paid $111,647. Prior to 2015, increases had not happened since 2001. ==See also==