In the absence of an elected local council and due to an urgent need for a team to run the village's matters, a group of people called "Mukhtars" took the responsibility of running the village. There were certain conditions that should be met in order to be a "Mukhtar".  One of the main conditions was to be an inhabitant of Sakhnin. Also, the "Mukhtar" should have a good social status and come from a big and a well off family.  This system of ruling started during the Ottoman rule and spread all over the Arab countries and it continued during the British Mandate.  The ruling system of the "Mukhtars" was in effect until 1965.  During this time seven Mukhtars ran the village's affairs, and here are their names:

  *   Awad ibrahim Khalaili
  *  Fawzi Khaled Gazal Abu~Ria
  *  Mohammad Hussein Khadran Ghanayim
  *  Mohammad ibrabim Zbidat
  *  Salim Geries Ghantous
  *  Khaled Mahmood Othman
  *  Tawfeek Hana Shakour

The names of the people who filled the post of a head of local council or a mayor are as follows:

   *  Awad Ibraheem Khalaili (1965-1972)
  *  Jamal Saeed Tarabeih (1972-1933)
  *  Mohammad Hasan Ghanayim (1983-1988)
  *  Mostafa Abu-Ria (1988-1993)
  *  Mohammad Hassan Ghanayim (for a second
      candidacy 1993-1999)
  *  Mostafa Abu-Ria (The present mayor)