Government

Richardson has had a council–manager form of government since 1956.

The City Council is elected for two-year terms on a nonpartisan basis. The Council is made up of seven elected officials. The officials elected for Places 1 through 4 must live in those Places (generally, the four quadrants of the City). The officials for Places 5 and 6 can live anywhere in the City. The official elected to Place 7 is the Mayor (this was changed in an election in November 2012), who also can live anywhere in the City.

Notwithstanding the requirements that some elected officials must live in certain Places, all seven officials of the City Council are elected by all Richardson voters.