Chautauqua County Government is a County Executive/Legislature model with the County Executive elected for a four-year term and 25 legislators elected for two-year terms. The County Government adopted a new charter in 1998.

Gregory J. Edwards is the current County Executive. He was elected to a four-year term in November, 2005.

The Legislature has a Democratic majority, based on the outcome of the 2005 elections. The 2006-08 Legislature includes one member who is a registered Independence Party member and one member who is a registered Conservative.