The Taunton City Council is the legislative branch of government in Taunton. It is made up of nine members who represent the city at-large. Taunton residents may vote for a maximum of nine City Council candidates during municipal elections; the nine candidates with the most votes become councilors. Councilors are elected to two-year terms, and there is no limit on the number of terms an individual councilor may serve. Despite officially being nonpartisan, the "de facto" composition of the City Council is almost evenly split, consisting of five Democrats and four Republicans as of 2021. The leader of the City Council is the president, with the position rotating annually. Rather than being elected by the City Council, the most senior member of the City Council who has not yet served as president is given the title.