Richmond city government consists of a city council with representatives from nine districts serving in a legislative and oversight capacity, as well as a popularly elected, at-large mayor serving as head of the executive branch. Citizens in each of the nine districts elect one council representative each to serve a two-year term. Beginning with the November 2008 election Council terms will be lengthened to 4 years. The city council elects from among its members one member to serve as Council President and one to serve as Council Vice President. The city council meets at City Hall (900 E. Broad St., 2nd Floor) on the second and fourth Mondays of every month, except August.

As of January, 2007, the Richmond City Council consists of: William (Bill) J. Pantele, 2nd District, President of Council; Rev. Delores L. McQuinn, 7th District, Vice-President of Council; Bruce Tyler, 1st District; Chris A. Hilbert, 3rd District; Kathy C. Graziano, 4th District; E. Martin (Marty) Jewell, 5th District; Ellen F. Robertson, 6th District; Reva M. Trammell, 8th District; and Douglas Connor Jr., 9th District.

Richmond's government changed in 2004 from a council-manager form of government to an at-large, popularly elected Mayor. In a landslide election, incumbent mayor Rudy McCollum was defeated by L. Douglas Wilder, who previously served Virginia as the first African American governor in the United States. The Mayor is not a part of the Richmond City Council.