The City of South Lake Tahoe is a general law city and uses a Council-Manager form of government. Five Council Members, elected at large for four-year staggered terms, govern the City. The City Clerk and City Treasurer are also elected by the voters and each serve a four year term. Each year in December, the Council Members choose which of them will serve the following year as Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem. The Mayor is the presiding officer of the Council. In the absence of the Mayor, the Mayor Pro Tem serves as Mayor