Birmingham Government

Birmingham operates under a strong mayor-council form of government, established by the Mayor-Council Act of 1955 and adopted in 1963. This system replaced the previous city commission government.
The mayor serves as the city’s chief executive, holding all executive powers. Responsibilities include proposing budgets, signing legislation, appointing department heads, and overseeing daily operations.
The current mayor is Randall Woodfin, who has been in office since 2017.

The Birmingham City Council is the legislative branch and consists of nine members elected from single-member districts for four-year terms.
The council handles policy-making, including budget adoption, tax levies, approving mayoral appointments, and enacting ordinances.
Council members elect a president to lead the council and assign members to 11 committees such as Budget and Finance, Public Safety, and Planning and Zoning.
A two-thirds majority vote is required for council decisions under Alabama law.

Birmingham has a structured network of 99 neighborhood associations grouped into 23 communities. These associations receive discretionary funding for capital projects and are consulted on zoning, licensing, and city services.
Community Advisory Committees formed by neighborhood officers have broader powers over city departments. Their presidents make up the Citizens Advisory Board, which interacts regularly with city leadership.

The Mayor-Council system was introduced to modernize governance during heightened racial tensions in the 1960s. It aimed to provide broader representation and remove controversial figures like Commissioner Bull Connor from power.