The first Statute of the town

City government elections were held as early as 1778 and the town’s first Statute was adopted. Karlovac obtained an External Council as the citizens’ representative body which consisted of 24 councillors and a City Council of 6 councillors as an executive body. The External Council councillors were to be elected by men aged 24 or above, whilst the City Council councillors were elected by the External Council councillors at the proposal of the royal envoy.

The councillors of both councils enjoyed a life-long mandate. The first judge was the former head of the military community, the trader Ivan Gutterer.