The Torrance City Council is the seven-member legislative body that governs the City of Torrance, made up of a mayor elected citywide and six council members who each represent one geographic district. All seven have equal voting power. The council sets policy, adopts the city budget, and passes the ordinances that make up the Torrance Municipal Code, while a hired city manager runs day-to-day operations.
How the Council Is Structured
Under Section 400 of the Torrance City Charter, the city’s elected officers are the mayor, six council members, a city clerk, and a city treasurer.1Code Publishing Company. Torrance City Charter The mayor presides over meetings but has no veto. Section 405 makes the mayor a council member “for all purposes,” with the same rights and duties as any other member, plus ceremonial responsibilities like signing contracts and warrants for the city.
The city clerk and city treasurer are elected separately and handle administrative duties: the clerk maintains official records and runs elections, and the treasurer oversees city funds. Neither votes on legislation.2City of Torrance. City Council and Elected Officials Four council members, including the mayor, make a quorum.
What the Council Does
Section 500 of the charter vests the city’s legislative power in the council and in the people through initiative and referendum. In practice, the council enacts ordinances, adopts resolutions, approves land use permits, and makes zoning decisions.
Adopting the annual budget is one of the council’s most consequential jobs. The adopted operating budget for fiscal year 2025–26 totals roughly $354 million, and the proposed 2026–27 operating budget rises to about $368 million.3OpenGov. Annual Operating Budget Counting capital projects and special funds, total spending across all funds exceeded $616 million in fiscal year 2024–25.4City of Torrance. Finance – Budget Documents
The council also appoints two key positions: the city manager and the city attorney. Under Section 601, the city manager is the chief administrative officer responsible for running all city departments and serves at the pleasure of the council, which can remove them at any time. That structure defines Torrance’s council-manager form of government: the elected council sets policy, and a hired professional carries it out.2City of Torrance. City Council and Elected Officials The city attorney advises on legal matters, represents the city in litigation, and reviews ordinances for compliance with state law.
The Six Districts and Elections
Torrance moved from at-large elections to district-based elections in 2018. Each of the six council members now lives in and represents one specific district, while the mayor is still elected citywide.5City of Torrance. List of Districts
Terms are four years and staggered, so only half the seats appear on the ballot in any cycle. Districts 1, 3, and 5, along with the mayor, are up in June 2026. Districts 2, 4, and 6 are up in March 2028.6City of Torrance. Elections in Torrance
To run for a seat, a candidate must be at least 18, a U.S. citizen, and a registered voter in Torrance. District candidates must live within the district they want to represent; mayoral candidates can live anywhere in the city.
Term Limits and Vacancies
Council members are capped at two consecutive full terms. After serving two in a row, a member has to sit out four years before running again. Time served filling an unexpired term does not count against the two-term limit.
When a seat opens mid-term, the remaining members appoint a replacement. If they can’t agree within 60 days, the city must call a special election. Whoever fills the seat serves only until the next regular municipal election, when voters choose someone for the remainder of the term.
How to Attend or Comment at a Meeting
The council meets on the first, second, and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chamber at 3031 Torrance Blvd.7City of Torrance. City Council Meeting All meetings are open to the public under California’s Ralph M. Brown Act.8State of California – Department of Justice – Office of the Attorney General. Open Meetings The agenda has to be posted at least 72 hours in advance, both physically and on the city website.9California Legislative Information. California Government Code 54954.2
During oral communications, speakers get three minutes to address the council on any topic within city jurisdiction.10Granicus. City Council Meeting If you can’t attend, submit written comments through the city’s online public comment portal. Comments received by 5:30 p.m. on the Monday before the meeting are published for review beforehand. Comments submitted later but before the meeting adjourns still go into the official record.7City of Torrance. City Council Meeting Hard-copy comments can be delivered to the city clerk’s office during business hours. If you attend in person, use the east-side entrance to the chamber; oversized bags and backpacks aren’t allowed inside.11City of Torrance. City Council Rules of Order