The city became incorporated January 8, 1872. In that year the first Chico Board of Trustees was established. This body was the predecessor of the modern Chico City Council. The first municipal election was February 5, 1872 with 217 votes cast. The first City Board of Trustees comprised G.W. Dorn, C.L. Pond, B.F. Allen, W.K. Springer, and John Kempf. Dorn was named as the first President of the Board of Trustees. Municipal elections were annual and the term for a trustee was two years. However, the first trustees had to draw lots to determine who would serve for a one-, two- or three-year term. This was to provide that there would only be either two or three seats up for election in any given year henceforth.