The Election Period Policy has been developed to ensure transparency, good governance
and accountability are adhered to by Councillors and officers so that general elections held
for Benalla Rural City Council are conducted in a manner that is ethical, fair and equitable
and are publicly perceived as such.
In addition to supporting probity and confidence in the election process, observance of the
election period is a statutory requirement. The Local Government Act 2020 (the Act) governs
municipal elections and requires the Council to prepare, adopt and maintain an Election
Period Policy in relation to procedures to be applied by the Council during the period leading
up to a general election. The statutory requirements are minimum governance standards.
The policy will assure the community that Benalla Rural City Council will not use public
resources in election campaigning or make major decisions that may bind the incoming
council, while continuing to function on behalf of the community