page_title: Charlottesville, Virginia
section_title: Government and politics
hierarchical_section_title: Charlottesville, Virginia / Government and politics
caption_attribution_description: English: Meriwether and William Clark Lewis Sculpture This is an image of a place or building that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in the United States of America. Its reference number is 97000449
context_page_description: Charlottesville, colloquially known as C'ville, is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is the county seat of Albemarle County, which surrounds the city, though the two are separate legal entities. It is named after the British Queen consort Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, who as the wife of George III was Virginia's last Queen. In 2019, an estimated 47,266 people lived within the city limits. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the City of Charlottesville with Albemarle County for statistical purposes, bringing its population to approximately 150,000. Charlottesville is the heart of the Charlottesville metropolitan area, which includes Albemarle, Buckingham, Fluvanna, Greene, and Nelson counties.
  Charlottesville was the home of two Presidents, Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe. During their terms as Governor of Virginia, they lived in Charlottesville, and traveled to and from Richmond, along the 71-mile historic Three Notch'd Road. Orange, located 26 miles northeast of the city, was the hometown of President James Madison. The University of Virginia, founded by Jefferson and one of the original Public Ivies, straddles the city's southwestern border.
context_section_description: Voters elect a five-member council to serve as the legislative and governing body. Elected through at-large districts, the members serve four-year terms. Every two years, they select a councilor to serve as mayor. The mayor presides over meetings, calls special meetings, makes some appointments to advisory boards, and serves as the ceremonial head of government.
  In 2016, Charlottesville was the second-most Democratic political subdivision in Virginia, following Petersburg.
  The City Council appoints the City Manager, the Director of Finance, the City Assessor, the Clerk of the Council, and members of major policy-making Boards and Commissions. The City Manager serves as the Chief Administrative Officer for the City.
  According to the official page the current city council are:
caption: Statue of Lewis and Clark
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