135Periodic general elections

135 Periodic general elections (1) A periodic general election is to be held: (a) on 28 August 2021; and (b) on the 4th Saturday in August in the 4th year after the most recent previous periodic general election was held. (2) The Electoral Commissioner may, by Gazette notice, provide that a periodic general election be held on a date other than the date on which it is scheduled to be held under subsection (1) (the nominal date) if: (a) the date for an election mentioned in section 394 of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 (Cth) is the same as the nominal date; or (b) the date for a general election under the Electoral Act 2004 is the same as the nominal date. (3) However, the new date on which the periodic general election is to be held under subsection (2) must not be: (a) earlier than 2 months before the nominal date; or

Local Government Act 2019 81 (b) later than 2 months after the nominal date. (4) Subject to subsection (5), if a general election for an area is called by the Minister under section 134 or if a general election for the council is called by the Minister under section 319(1) or (2), and the general election is held less than 1 year before the date for a periodic general election under this section: (a) a further periodic general election for the area must not be held on the later date; and (b) the next periodic general election for the area must be held on the date on which it is scheduled to be held under subsection (1), as if the general election for the area or council had not been called by the Minister and a periodic general election had been held in the ordinary course. (5) A general election for an area must not be called less than 3 months before a periodic general election.