The Sotkamo municipal council has 27 members which are elected in a municipal election every four years.

The municipal council is responsible for the operations and economy of the municipality. The organisation of the administration and operations is prescribed in the administrative regulations approved by the municipal council. The administrative regulations include a description of the organisational structure and the allocation of jurisdiction and tasks of different institutions and local government officials.

There are 9 members in the Sotkamo municipal board, from which the council elects a chairman and a vice-chairman for the term of office of the municipal board. The term is two years.

The municipal board directs the operations, administration and economy of the municipality, and looks after the municipality’s general interest. The municipal board is responsible for the preparation, enforcement, and monitoring of the legality of the decisions by the council.

The scope of the municipal board includes the industrial services, general administration, agricultural and farm relief services, local authority corporation management and corporate governance, promotion of well-being and health, livelihoods and employment matters.

The mayor directs the municipality’s administration, economy and other operations under the supervision of the municipal board. The mayor acts as the presenting officer for the municipal board, and is responsible for the preparation of matters to be processed by the municipal board.

There is a Local Education and Cultural Committee and an Environment, Technical Committee, Environmental Healt Subcommittee and in Sotkamo municipality in addition to the statutory Auditing Committee and Central Election Committee.
Municipal committees are institutions subordinate to the council.