The first local election was held on November 8, 1959 but Mayor Alfonso Lista did not seek election. The mayorship was contested by Jose Bayawon, Felix Prudenciano and Gaudencto Manuel. Jose Bayawon won as Mayor and Felipe Gamiao as Vice Mayor. Mayor Bayawon continued building the young municipality and introduced changes. At that time, roads going to Isabela were slowly being constructed and the only means of transportation were the powerful trucks during the war called “weapons carrier” which uses cables to pull itself when stocked in the muddy road. Oftentimes, the immediate means of transport were the horseback ride and sledge pulled by carabaos or cows.

In 1963. Mayor Jose Bayawon sought re-election and again was contested by Gaudencio Manuel and Felix Prudenciano. However, Jose Bayawon won again. His Vice-Mayor was Francisco Aliguyon.  Sometime in 1964 he transferred the seat of government to barangay Busilac specifically at the residence of Mr. Esteban Daguio that  lasted for only one year as it was protested by the people of the then Poblacion why it was transferred. Due to the complaints of the transfer and after it was investigated by the Provincial Board; he was admonished by the Provincial Board to return it back to Potia. However, it was truly removed from Busilac but moved to Barangay Santa Maria a place nearer to the old Poblacion. He put up a new municipal hall there dismantling and transferring the materials of the building from Potia through “Bataris” without much cost. It was during that time, that the office of the Election Registrar was established with Atty. Velasquez as Election Registrar.

The transfer was met with opposition from other sectors. But a resolution from the Provincial Board of Mountain Province Numbered 1559, Series of 1964 through an investigation report made by then Board Member Gaspar Ponchinlan giving an opinion affirming the action of the municipal council transferring the seat of the government to Santa Maria. Mayor Jose Bayawon however, was not able to finish his second term because in 1969, he was removed from office when he was convicted for illegal possession of firearms. He was sentenced and jailed, but he claimed that it was a fabricated case against him by his political foes. He was replaced by the appointment of Vice Mayor Carlos Cattiling as Mayor who served the remaining years of his term and held office at Santa Maria until the local elections in 1971.

Picnic area at Pikkan at the Dolowog river, one of the places visited by people for picnicking and bathing because of its pool– like shape with cool and steady water coming from a water falls upstream.
Coronation of First Runner-Up Miss Balbina Dela Cruz (now Mrs. Pagatpatan) during the First Anniversary and Town Fiesta in 1956. The queen was a certain Ms. Valdez and 2nd Runner-Up was Ms. Miguela Concepcion.

On June 18, 1966, Republic Act Number 4695 otherwise known as Mountain Province Division Law was passed dividing the Old Mountain Province into four Political entities: Benguet, Ifugao, Mountain Province (new name of the former sub-province of Bontoc) and Kalinga Apayao. Ifugao finally gained provincial status whose first executive was Governor Gualberto B. Lumauig with Manuel Tuguinay as Vice Governor. Gaspar Ponchinlan and Napoleon Hangdaan were the Board Members, all of them were appointed by the President of the Philippines.

The municipality being the farthest section of Ifugao at that time continued to struggle for its development. At the Northern part of the municipality, there arose a boundary conflict with the municipality of Paracelis which was recently created in 1962 particularly who covers Brgy. Kiling.  However, on June 18, 1966 Republic Act Number 4763 was approved by Congress transferring Barrio Kiling in the municipality of Paracelis to the Municipality of Potia, now completing the recovery of the lost territories of Potia. As other people migrated to the municipality, new barrios were created. From the nine original barrios, it increased to twenty barrios. The newly created barrios were Calupaan (1962); San Jose (I965), Kiling (1966), Bangar (1969), Namnama (1971), San Marcos, Caragasan, Little Tadian (1982), Ngileb (1978), Laya (1990) and Calimag but was resettled from its original site to a new site near San Jose (1982). The resettlement was caused by the construction of the Magat Dam that submerged the original barangay which became a part of the water reservoir. In 1982, the bridge connecting Potia and Oscariz was completed from where a ferry- boat was previously used; now making transportation to Isabela regular.

In 1971, local elections were again held. The mayorship was contested by incumbent Mayor Carlos Cattiling, Felix Prudenciano, Sergio Fernando and Gabriel Chocyagan. Gabriel Chocyagan won with Federico Nebre as the Vice-Mayor. As the seat of government was already settled, Mayor Chocyagan constructed a new municipal hall to a new site in the same barangay of Sta. Maria. Mayor Chocyagan was able to acquire lands for future expansion of government building sites.  A new municipal building was constructed in 1972. In 1975 the Potia Emergency Hospital was established on a lot donated by Francisco Medina. Sr. later renamed as Potia Community Hospital and Health Center. Again, it was renamed as Potia District Hospital. Doctor Dante Bugayong was its first Hospital Chief.

In September 21, 1972, Proclamation No. 1081 was issued by President Ferdinand Marcos declaring the entire Philippines under Martial Law and it greatly changed the political and everyday atmosphere of the country. During that period, Mayor Gabriel Chocyagan served until 1979. Mayor Gaudencio Manuel replaced him for almost a year. In 1980, the first local election was held. Former Vice Governor John Langbayan and Aloysius Lumauig of the KBL Party and the eldest son of then Governor Gualberto B. Lumauig contested the election for mayorship. Aloysius Lumauig won with Modesto Aquimba as the Vice-Mayor. However, they were not able to finish their term because in February 1986, President Ferdinand Marcos ousted by a bloodless “EDSA Revolution” and upon the installation of Corazon Aquino as President of the Republic, all local elected officials were all removed and replaced by Officer in Charge until the next regular election.

It was during the mass removal of elected officials and appointment of their replacement where John Langbayan, Sr. was appointed as Officer-In-Charge Municipal Mayor in August 25,1986 with Sofronio Sampayan as the OIC- Vice Mayor, Amado Nabanalan, Gabriel Cabo, Silvino Castroverde, Domingo Benigno, Berlito Napolitano, Eladio Dulnuan, Rufus Malecdan.Sr. and Santiago Natuno as OIC Sangguniang Bayan Members. They all served until January 1988 local elections.