Peter Herzog was elected to his first term on the Lake Forest City Council in November of 1994. He was then selected as Mayor for 1998, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2010 and 2011. He strongly believes that protecting and enhancing the quality of life in Lake Forest must be the primary focus of the City Council. This philosophy guides each of his decisions.

This focus led Council Member Herzog to work very hard, as a member of the El Toro Reuse Planning Authority (ETRPA), in the lengthy fight to prevent the closed El Toro Marine Base from becoming an international airport. He has also been successful in making sure the Musick Jail site does not become a maximum-security prison.

One of Council Member Herzog's focuses is on improving the transportation network in Lake Forest, Orange County and the region as this directly effects the quality of life in Lake Forest. He pushed hard for the completion of Alton Parkway which was completed in June 2012.  He spent four years on the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) Transportation and Communications Committee, which oversees the development of the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). Since 2001 he has been on the Board of the Foothill-Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency, serving as Chair for three years, and where he is currently focused on the completion of the 241 Foothill-South Project. Council Member Herzog served as Chairman of the League of Cities Super-Committee, which was a critical component in the successful renewal of Measure M in November of 2006, which provides the key funding for transportation projects in Orange County. His role in bringing transportation improvements to the area has continued to grow with his being chosen in 2010 to serve on the Board of Directors of the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA).

Council Member Herzog has been a Board member of the Orange County Council of Governments (OCCOG) since 2003. He serves on the joint OCCOG/OCTA Committee that is working on the SB 375 Sustainable Community Strategy (SCS) which addresses land use and transportation matters.

He has served on the Executive Steering Committee of the Orange County Division of the League of California Cities, and was the Division President in 2005. He also was the Chair of the League's Task Force on Spheres of Influence and Annexations, which created policies adopted by the Board of Supervisors.

Council Member Herzog was chosen in 1996 to be a city representative on the Orange County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO), and has twice served as Chair. He was chosen in 2001 by the 58 LAFCOs statewide to serve on the Board of Directors of the California Association of LAFCO (CALAFCO), and served as its Chair in 2008. 

He has been married to Marta for 33 years. They have lived in Lake Forest since 1982 and have two children, Lauren and Scott. Marta is a financial consultant who has been very active in the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts. He is an attorney who has his own consulting practice. Council Member Herzog is a Charter member of the Lake Forest Kiwanis Club.