States, cities & tribes
municipal charter
A city's founding document, setting its form of government, offices, and powers. Amending one usually requires a vote of the city's residents.
In full
A charter functions as a local constitution: it decides whether the city has a strong mayor or a city manager, how many council members there are, how they are elected, and what the city may do. Charter review commissions and charter amendment ballot questions are how residents change the structure of their own local government.
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A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.