Island Heights is governed under the Faulkner Act form of municipal government, formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law, within the Small Municipality (Plan A), enacted by direct petition as of July 1, 1974. The borough is one of 18 municipalities (of the 565) statewide that use this form of government, which is available to municipalities with a population below 12,000 at the time of adoption. The governing body is comprised of the Mayor and the six-member Borough Council, whose members are elected in non-partisan elections held as part of the November general election. The mayor is directly elected to a four-year term of office. Councilmembers serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle. As the result of an ordinance passed unanimously by the borough council in July 2011, the borough shifted its nonpartisan elections from May to November.