The highest decision-making power of the Association is exercised by the provincial council. The regional council has the overall responsibility for the development of the region, it draws the strategic guidelines for the development of the region and creates the will of the region. The regional council approves the union's main plans and the action plan and budget, as well as the report and financial statements.
Each member of the provincial council is elected one member per 7,000 inhabitants, a total of 75 councillors. A personal alternate shall be elected for each member from the same political group and municipality as the full member. The members and deputy members of the provincial council must be municipal councillors. The composition of the provincial council corresponds to the political distribution of municipal elections in the province and is elected by the Assembly of Member States.
By municipality, the seats of the provincial council are divided as follows: Alavieska 1, Haapajärvi 1, Haapavesi 1, Hailuoto 1, Ii 2, Kalajoki 2, Kempele 3, Kuusamo 3, Kärsämäki 1, Liminka 2, Lumijoki 1, Merijärvi 1, Muhos 2, Nivala 2, Oulainen 1, Oulu 31, Pudasjärvi 2, Pyhäjoki 1, Pyhäjärvi 1, Pyhätä 1, Raahe 4, Reisjärvi 1, Sievi 1, Siikajoki 1, Siikalatva 1, Taivalkoski 1, Tyrnävä 1, Utajärvi 1, Vaala 1 and Ylivieska 3.
The number of seats in the Council's political groups is as follows: Centre Party 28, Coalition Party 13, Social Democrats 12, Left Alliance 9, Finns Party 6, Greens 6 and Christian Democrats 1.
Next meetings
- Monday 7 December 2026
Presidium of the Provincial Council
 Chairman Senja Kovaniemi, Liminka |  Sanna Laine, 1st Vice-Chair, Kempele |
 2nd Vice Chairman Jouni Jussinniemi, Pyhäjärvi |  Juha Koskela, 3rd Vice-Chair, Ylivieska |
Members and deputy members of the provincial council
| Municipality | Member | Alternate |
| Alavieska | Heikki Malinen (ps) | Anne Huttunen (ps) |
| Haapajärvi | Tomi Vähäkangas (cok) | Mirjami Räisänen (cook) |
| Aspen water | Janne Mäkinen (Centre) | Tuija Metsäharju (center) |
| Hailuoto | Leena Luoma-aho (center) | Kari Tuhkanen (green) |
| Ii | Jari-Jukka Jokela (center) Petri Tervonen (cok) | Helka Tapio (center) Markku Koskela (cok) |
| Kalajoki | Sami Hänninen (center) Hanna Saari (cok) | Mari Niemelä (Centre) Juha Junnikkala (in Finnish) |
| Kempele | Anja Joensuu (Centre) Sanna Laine (sd) Johanna Ohukainen (ps) | Pasi Jarva (center) Keijo Alahuhtala (sd) Simo Tolonen (ps) |
| Kuusamo | What a Flöjt (green) Matti Heikkilä (center) Tuula Mustonen (in Finnish) | Irni Salmirinne (green) Mervi Tornberg-Karjalainen (Centre) Laura Illikainen (cok) |
| Kärsämäki | Anne Andersson (Centre) | Jari Ahlholm (center) |
| Liminka | Senja Kovaniemi (centre) Kristian the Swede (cok) | Juho Pakaslahti (center) Minna Rautio (in Finnish) |
| Lumijoki | Eino Jakkula (center) | Anne Meskus (center) |
| Merijärvi | Päivi Saukko (center) | Teemu Tohola (center) |
| Muhos | Eija Jurvanen (Centre) Irene Vuoti (cok) | Aimo Manelius (center) Juha Piirala (cok) |
| Nivala | Juha Koski (ps) Tuomas Suvanto (center) | Elisa Helander (ps) Hilkka Suni (center) |
| Oulainen | Tommi Oja (kok) | Matti Heikkinen (kd) |
| Oulu | Pekka Aittakumpu (ps) Tuula Ala-Aho (sd) Hanna Haipus (cok) Elisa Hallapuro (green) Paavo J. Heinonen (left) Miina-Anniina Heiskanen (sd) Suvi Helanen (Centre) Pia Hiltunen (sd) Miia Immonen (green) Mimmi Jakola (left) Mariam Kandelberg (green) Johanna Karjula (Centre) Marja-Leena Kemppainen (kd) Susanna Kisner (cod) Anniina Koutonen (left) Matti Lukka (center) Antti Mainio (center) Mikko Merihaara (kok) Joni Meriläinen (sd) Harri Minkkinen (sd) Henna Määttä (green) Eeva-Maria Parkkinen (Centre) Veli-Pekka Pohjola (in Finnish) Lyly Rajala (cok) Merja Rasinkangas (ps) Pirjo Sirviö (sd) Sebastian Stenfors (cod) Sauli Tervaniemi (centre) Sirpa Tikkala (center) Daughter (sd) Mikko Viitanen (left) | Jani Törmi (ps) Annemari Eskola (sd) Erika Taube-Säkkinen (cok) Marika Koivuniemi (green) Olli Kohonneen (left) Maire Mäki (sd) Janika Harju (center) Kaarina Torro (sd) Jenni Pitko (green) Anne Huotari (left) What's wrong (green) Anna-Kaisa Lepistö (centre) Janne Heikkinen (cok) Juha Hänninen (cok) Jessi Jokelainen (left) Jorma Leskelä (center) Pekka Kainua (center) Jarmo Husso (cok) Lauri Nikula (centre) What Hast (sd) Susa Viväkorva (green) Mirja Vehkaperä (center) Juha Malinen (cok) Hanne-Mari Juntunen (cod) Jukka Huotari (ps) Nicole McDonald (sd) Jussi Arponen (cok) Risto Päkkilä (center) Anneli Näppä (center) Taru Lehtinen (sd) Mikko Raudaskoski (left) |
| Pudasjärvi | Olga Aries-Panuma (Centre) Sirkka Pankinaho (ps) | Jorma Kouva (center) Lasse Buffalo (ps) |
| Pyhäjoki | Eija Flink (left) | Saara Mustakallio (left) |
| Pyhäjärvi | Jouni Jussinniemi (left) | Jorma Leskinen (left) |
| Holy | Matti Leiviskä (center) | Liisa Tahkola (center) |
| Raahe | Tarja Ollanketo (left) Nina Pulkkanen (center) Marko Salmela (sd) Seppo Sorvari (green) | Aleksi Honka (left) Pasi Parkkila (center) Paavo Törmi (sd) Kristiina Mutka-Leinonen (centre) |
| Reisjärvi | Sari Huuskonen (center) | Jussi Paavola (centre) |
| Sievi | Rami Rauhalla (center) | Terhi Kangas (center) |
| Siikajoki | Aila Mäkisalo (left) | Matti Pohjola (left) |
| Siikalatva | Ira Toppinen (center) | Markus Viitamäki (center) |
| Taivalkoski | Joonas Keskitalo (sd) | Aimo Tauriainen (sd) |
| Searing | Tarja Bäckman (center) | Jaakko Uitto (center) |
| Utajärvi | Veera Järvitalo (sd) | Minna Huuhtanen (sd) |
| Vaala | Atte Mustonen (left) | Tiina Kylmänen (left) |
| Ylivieska | Teuvo Nissilä (Centre) Juha Koskela (center) Ismo Viirimaa (sd) | Juha Autio (center) Jouni Tapio (sd) Juhani Löfbacka (sd) |
Electoral Committee of the Provincial Council
Presidency
President: Janne Mäkinen
Vice-Chair: Marko Salmela
Members and deputies of the Electoral Commission
| Member | Alternate |
| Janne Mäkinen | Sauli Tervaniemi |
| Johanna Ohukainen | Sirkka Bankaho |
| Tarja Ollanketo | Mikko Viitanen |
| Marko Salmela | Pirjo Sirviö |
| Tomi Vähäkangas | Tommi Oja |
