▁( form ally ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Optional ▁Municipal ▁Char ter ▁Law ) ▁under ▁the ▁mayor - c oun cil ▁( Plan ▁D ) ▁system ▁of ▁municipal ▁government , ▁implemented ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁recommend ations ▁of ▁a ▁Char ter ▁Study ▁Commission ▁as ▁of ▁January ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 5 3 . ▁The ▁gover ning ▁body ▁consists ▁of ▁a ▁mayor ▁and ▁a ▁nine - member ▁city ▁council . ▁The ▁city ▁council ▁consists ▁of ▁three ▁members ▁elected ▁at - large ▁from ▁the ▁city ▁as ▁a ▁whole , ▁and ▁six ▁members ▁who ▁each ▁represent ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁city ' s ▁six ▁w ards . ▁All ▁of ▁the ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁city ▁council ▁are ▁elected ▁to ▁four - year ▁terms ▁in ▁non part isan ▁elections ▁on ▁a ▁st agger ed ▁basis , ▁with ▁the ▁six ▁w ard ▁seats ▁up ▁for ▁election ▁together ▁and ▁the ▁three ▁at - large ▁and ▁mayor al ▁seats ▁up ▁for ▁vote ▁two ▁years ▁later . ▁ ▁In ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁the ▁city ▁council ▁voted ▁to ▁move ▁municipal ▁elections ▁from ▁May ▁to ▁November . ▁The ▁first ▁shift ed ▁election ▁were ▁held ▁in ▁November ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁with ▁all ▁officials ▁elected ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁and ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁having ▁their ▁terms ▁extended ▁by ▁six ▁months . ▁ ▁, ▁the ▁mayor ▁of ▁Hob oken ▁is ▁Rav inder ▁B hal la , ▁whose ▁term ▁of ▁office ▁ends ▁December ▁ 3 1 , ▁ 2 0 2 1 . ▁M embers ▁of ▁the ▁city ▁council