The Port St. Johns Local Municipality council consists of thirty-nine members elected by mixed-member proportional representation. Twenty councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in twenty wards, while the remaining nineteen are chosen from party lists so that the total number of party representatives is proportional to the number of votes received. In the election of 1 November 2021 the African National Congress (ANC) won a majority of thirty-one seats.
The following table shows the composition of the council after past elections.
| Event | ANC | CIV | DA | EFF | IND | UDM | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 election | 18 | — | — | — | 1 | 6 | — | 25 |
| 2006 election | 28 | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | 0 | 31 |
| 2011 election | 32 | — | 2 | — | 3 | 1 | 1 | 39 |
| 2016 election | 31 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 39 |
| 2021 election | 31 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 39 |
See main article: 2000 South African municipal elections.
The following table shows the results of the 2000 election.[1]
See main article: 2006 South African municipal elections.
The following table shows the results of the 2006 election.[2]
See main article: 2011 South African municipal elections.
The following table shows the results of the 2011 election.[3]
See main article: 2016 South African municipal elections.
The following table shows the results of the 2016 election.[4]
See main article: 2021 South African municipal elections.
The following table shows the results of the 2021 election.[5]
The following by-elections were held to fill vacant ward seats in the period since the election in November 2021.[6]
After the resignation of the previous ward two councillor, a by-election was held on 14 June 2023. In 2021, the African National Congress (ANC) won the ward by 49 votes over independent candidate Patric Nomarhobo. For the by-election, it recruited Nomarhobo and won the seat with a solid 72% of the vote. The Democratic Alliance (DA) improved from 10% to 22% to finish second.[7]