Before determining the organisational structure and deciding on staff numbers, the potential peak workload periods of the electoral cycle need to be identified. For this purpose, the EMB will need to prepare an electoral calendar. The primary purpose of an electoral calendar is to assist the EMB in keeping its planning and preparation on schedule in order to meet its statutory and administrative deadlines.

An electoral calendar is also especially useful in ensuring timely procurement of registration and polling supplies and materials.

Thorough review of the electoral calendar after each election or other electoral event will assist in identifying inappropriate time allocations for tasks. This review can be a useful tool for identifying where changes to organisational structure or resource allocations, or the legislative or regulatory frameworks, would improve election operations.

The calendar is also useful to convey information to the public, political parties, and the media about the dates for the beginning and completion of key activities. This will enhance transparency and create a positive public relations image for the EMB. Including all administrative deadlines in an electoral calendar for public distribution may, however, be unnecessary and confusing to those only needing to identify the key statutory dates. An EMB may decide to keep an internal administrative calendar and a cut down version of the calendar for distribution to the media and the public. If requested, and in the absence of security reasons, there is no reason why the EMB could not allow stakeholders, such as political parties, candidates, election staff, NGOs ,and participating donor agencies, access to copies of the detailed administrative calendar.

Countries with centralised election management systems may, if resources are available, be able to computerise their planning and develop comprehensive election calendars with clear milestones, timeframes, responsibilities, and interdependencies of activities. The calendar then becomes a sophisticated electoral operations plan. This type of calendar can be shared among staff for as the basis for managing their progress and completion of tasks, and with stakeholders for informationallocations, or the legislative or regulatory frameworks, would improve election operations.