Club Officer Elections FAQ

Yes! All club activities, including club officer elections, are permitted to be held online at this time. Clubs should plan to hold club officer elections at the club’s first meeting in May, if practicable.

The club officer election process is outlined on Page 56 of the Club Leadership Handbook. The good news is, the only significant change is in ensuring ballots are cast and counted correctly.

Here are some examples your members can choose from in casting their ballots:

• Use the chat feature available in most online meeting platform. Members will send their votes directly to the member serving as the ballot counter.
• While the elections must be held live, email can be used as a form of submitting ballots.
• Various forms and surveys can be created using free online tools, sent to members during the elections, and used to cast ballots.

• The entire procedure must be held live, and voting by proxy is not allowed. Members must remain present during the entire meeting to count for quorum and to vote.
• The club is required to have quorum present (more than 50% of the active members of the club in attendance) to vote per Article V, Section 1 of the Club Constitution for Clubs of Toastmasters International. If a quorum is not present, the election is postponed until the next club meeting where quorum is present.
• The Club Leadership Committee must announce their findings at least two weeks prior to the election. If the committee fails to do so, all candidates will run from the floor. The Club Leadership Committee findings may be distributed to the club by email.
• Once the new club officers are elected, be sure to update your club officers online in Club Central, before June 30, to ensure continued Club Central access for your club.
• When updating the club’s officer listing, use the “Future Term” button at the top, so your current officers are not replaced before June 30.

Article VI, Section 5 of the Club Constitution states that nominations for club officers are made in two ways:

• By the Club Leadership Committee’s report, which is presented at the business meeting immediately prior to the meeting at which elections take place.
• By an active member nominating from the floor, which is done at the time of the election. If the Club Leadership Committee was not appointed, the club does not need to delay its elections; it may proceed with nominating from the floor and electing new officers.

Any club officer can be a part of the Club Leadership Committee; however, Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised (p. 433, ll. 14–15) suggests that the president, specifically, should not be a part of this committee.

Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised states, “Members of the Club Leadership Committee are not barred from becoming nominees for office themselves.” (P. 433, ll. 29–30.) Any member, including those who served on the committee, can nominate themselves from the floor if they wish.

Members do not have to be present to be elected. However, they should have made clear prior to the elections they would accept the office if elected—preferably in writing. If candidates were put on the ballot by the Club Leadership Committee, it is typical practice the Club Leadership Committee to have already reached out to those individuals for their consent prior to their report.

Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised instructs to cast votes again until one candidate obtains a majority (p. 441, ll. 1–5). Some clubs choose to have a designated member settle the tie by casting their vote. This action is permitted, so long as this member has not already cast a vote for the open office.

Please contact Club Quality and Service at clubquality@toastmasters.org.