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Institute for Local Government
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Codes of Conduct, Civility, and Ethics

Overview

Codes of Conduct, Civility and Ethics

Collaboration among elected bodies and between individual members takes effort. Finding common ground and cultivating respectful relationships early on can make for a more civil and effective governing body.

A guiding document, or code of conduct, can help facilitate such collaboration and serve as a framework for decorum between individual members and the elected body as a whole.

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Sample Codes of Ethics and Conduct

A number of local agencies have adopted values-based ethics and conduct codes. A sampling appears below. This is not an exhaustive list. If you have a policy or code you would like to share, please contact Melissa Kuehne at mkuehne@ca-ilg.org.

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Sample Civility Policies

Below please find sample Codes of Conduct and Civility Policies from cities across the state. This is not an exhaustive list. If you have a policy or code you would like to share, please contact Melissa Kuehne at mkuehne@ca-ilg.org.

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Sample Governance Handbooks
Last Updated: Feb. 2026

Below, please find sample governance and policy handbooks (sometimes referred to as “Rules of Order” or “Rules of Procedure”) from cities, counties, and special districts across the state. This is not an exhaustive list. If you have a policy or code you would like to share, please contact Melissa Kuehne at mkuehne@ca-ilg.org.

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