The city of Green Cove Springs is structured in a city council/city manager form of government, with the council functioning as the governing body. The city has had this form of government since the 1980 charter revision. The city council is composed of five members who are elected at large to three-year terms. The five-member council consists of the mayor, the vice mayor, and three council members. The mayor and vice mayor are elected by the council and serve in these positions for one year. As the official representative of the city, the mayor is responsible for all intergovernmental relations and for presiding over all meetings of the council. The vice mayor serves as the presiding officer for all council meetings in the mayor's absence.