CREDENTIALS AND ELECTIONS

Credentials

Preparing the credentials desk

The Credentials Chair will need to select volunteers to run the credentials desk. The team members running the credentials desk must not be affiliated with any candidates.

The Annual Meeting of the District Council may be held either online or in a hybrid format. The District leadership team will need to decide how the voting will take place.

Online - all registered voters will participate from a remote location and cast their vote on a personal electronic device.

Hybrid - in-person attendees may vote using their electronic device, or the District leadership team may decide to have an option for in-person attendees to use:

  • electronic voting stations provided by the District
  • paper ballots

The Credentials Chair will need the following materials for the credentials desk pulled on the day of the meeting:

  • A list of current District Council members
  • To create this list, navigate to District Central, select the Reports tile, and then the District Council Report from the drop-down list.
  • Ballots must indicate the office being contested or be sequentially numbered for each contested election. Only the names of candidates nominated by the District Leadership Committee may be printed on District ballots. Floor candidate names cannot appear on District ballots.
    It is recommended that a voter ID number be included on each ballot. The voter ID allows ballot counters to confirm that no ballots were received in excess of issued ballots.

Running the credentials desk

  • The Credentials Committee ensures no campaign materials are in the credentials area.
  • Use materials from the Credentials Chair to issue ballots only to District Council members.
  • Ensure ballots issued are signed for upon receipt and are not duplicated by electronic ballots sent to District Council members using a personal electronic device.
  • The credentials desk volunteers should create a list of issued ballots that the ballot counters can use to validate submitted votes if necessary.
  • Assist the Credentials Chair with providing the Credentials Report, as requested.

Elections

The team members serving as ballot counters must not have any affiliation with any candidates for the position for which they are counting ballots. The ballot counters are recommended to differ from the volunteers who issued ballots as it will maintain the anonymity of ballots cast.

At the Annual Meeting of the District Council, the District Director explains the election rules and procedures to the delegates. If the District Director is not present, a person designated by the District Director may stand in. The District Director is encouraged to create and follow a script for the Annual Meeting of the District Council, including the complete election procedures, as outlined below.

The District Director or designee makes clear that:

  • Quorum has or has not been met
  • Each candidate will speak on their behalf if present. If not present, see below.
  • All candidates should be seated as close to the platform as possible.

The following rules apply to the District Leadership Committee's report: The District Leadership Committee Chair gives the report.

  • The District Director may designate someone else to give the report if the chair is absent.
  • The chair (or designee) announces the names of the DLC members.
  • The chair reads the name and club number of each candidate, in alphabetical order, for each of these offices:
    • District Director
    • Program Quality Director
    • Club Growth Director
    • Division Directors
    • Administration Manager (if elected)
    • Finance Manager (if elected)
    • Public Relations Managers (if elected)

If a candidate is not present:

    • They may be represented by another person who will speak on their behalf.
    • The candidate's representative should be seated as close to the platform as possible.
    • The following meeting officials may not give a speech on behalf of a candidate unless that individual resigns before the Annual Business Meeting begins:
      • A member of the District Executive Committee
      • A member of the District Leadership Committee
      • The Credentials Chair
      • Any meeting official, including the Logistics Manager, Administration Manager, or Parliamentarian
      • Other appointed District leader roles

Floor Candidates

Preparing for Floor Candidates:

For each office, the District Director asks whether there are any additional nominations from the floor. If floor nominees are not in attendance, their designees will state the nominee's eligibility qualifications.

Floor Candidates:

If the DLC report is incomplete or invalid, it is essential to understand how the floor candidate process works. Floor candidates must declare their intent to run no later than seven (7) days before the Annual Meeting of the District Council.

There are two categories of floor candidates:

Qualified Floor Candidate — This candidate meets the qualifications described in the District Administrative Bylaws.

Eligible Floor Candidate — This candidate was evaluated by the DLC for the specific role they are running and meets the qualifications described in the District Administrative Bylaws.

All floor candidates must be qualified or eligible and have a signed and submitted District Leader Agreement and Release statement.

Floor candidates must be nominated by a member of the District Council or self-nominated if they are currently a member of the District Council. If the floor candidate is absent and has appointed a representative to speak on their behalf, the representative must not be a member of the District Executive Committee, a member of the DLC, a Credentials Chair, or a meeting official, as identified by the District Director. Any candidate may be nominated for a maximum of two roles at the annual District Council meeting.

The only situations in which floor candidates can run for District elections are:

  • If a candidate was evaluated by the DLC but not nominated for a particular role, the candidate may run from the floor for that specific role(s).
  • If the DLC report is incomplete, qualified floor candidates may only run for a role(s) that has insufficient nominated candidates.
  • If the DLC report is invalid, all floor candidates (qualified and eligible) may run for any elective role(s).

FAQ

Who Can Vote?

Voting members of the District Council are the Club Presidents, Vice President's Education, and the members of the District Executive Committee: District Director, Program Quality Director, Club Growth Director, the Immediate Past District Director, Public Relations Manager, Administrations Manager, Finance Manager, Division Directors, and Area Directors.

Good Standing of Individual Members

  • A paid member is one whose dues have been received by World Headquarters for the current dues period. An individual must be a paid member to be nominated for or to serve in any office or leadership role in Toastmasters International. (Protocol 2.0)

Good Standing of Clubs

  • A club is considered paid and is in good standing when its dues have been received by World Headquarters for the current dues period for a minimum of eight members—at least three of whom were members of the club during the previous renewal. (Protocol 2.0)

Who is entitled to one vote?

  • Each member of the District Executive Committee, Club President, and Vice President's Education attending the District Council meeting.

Who is entitled to two votes?

  • Either club officer may carry the club's two (2) votes, or each may carry one (1) vote, as determined by the club membership. A representative from any Member Club in good standing is entitled to a maximum of two (2) votes.
  • A Toastmaster belonging to two (2) or more clubs may cast one (1) vote for each club but is limited to a maximum of two votes, regardless of the number of clubs they serve.

Who is entitled to three votes?

  • District Executive Committee members are entitled to one (1) vote and may cast up to two (2) additional votes as a representative(s) of a Member Club for a maximum of three (3) votes.