Charter of the City of Pensacola

The Charter of the City of Pensacola is the document which establishes the City of Pensacola and provides for the government thereof. The current charter was adopted in 1931.

No fewer than three different charter documents have been used before, and there have been unsuccessful efforts at several points in Pensacola's history to propose the adoption of alternate charters.

Proposed alternatives

1916 referendum

In 1913, the City of Pensacola adopted a new charter and transitioned to a city commission government. In 1915, the Florida Legislature appointed a "Charter Board" to study that charter and recommend any necessary revisions. The Charter Board recommended that the City return to the previous mayor-council government, and a referendum was held to decide the issue. The initiative failed by a large margin and the commission government was retained until 1931.