The Tribal Government of the Duckwater Tribe consists of a five-member Council which is elected annually to staggered terms by members who are residents of the Duckwater Shoshone Reservation for one-year and are registered to vote. Two council members are elected annually in December; every third year, one member is elected. The Constitution and By-Laws of the Duckwater Shoshone Tribe provide that officers are elected from within the Council by the Council annually.

The Council meets monthly on the last Monday of each month. Special Meetings are scheduled as needed during the month. In order to get an item on the agenda of a regularly scheduled meeting, administration needs to be notified one-week prior to the regular meeting. This provides time for the agenda to be published and materials accumulated, copied and collated for the Council’s packets for the meeting.

The Tribal Council is responsible for setting all policies and procedures that guide the operations of the Duckwater Shoshone Tribe. While the Council directly conducts interviews and hires for management-level positions, all other staffing decisions follow a structured hiring process. For non-management positions, interviews are conducted by a panel that includes the direct supervisor or department manager of the role. Administrative staff are tasked with implementing the policies and procedures as established by the Council.