District Campaigns and Elections FAQ
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Why were the changes made?Back to Top
These changes were made to increase engagement, responsibility, and accountability of the DLC and to ensure candidates running from the floor are evaluated by the DLC and meet the qualification requirements listed in the governing documents.
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How do the changes impact the District Campaigns and Elections schedule?Back to Top
With these changes, the District Director appoints the DLC Chair no later than November 1. DLC members are selected by DLC Chair no later than December 1.
The call for candidate declarations is due by January 15. The deadline for candidates to declare their intent to run is determined by the DLC Chair.
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What are the significant updates to the District Leadership Committee?Back to Top
The updates to the DLC are that the DLC Member Agreement form needs to be completed.
The committee must nominate at least one candidate for the District Director, Program Quality Director, and Division Director. Two candidates must be selected for Club Growth Director.
The DLC Chair may not serve in another District position, or as the Parliamentarian in which the DLC report is presented.
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What happens if the DLC does not meet the deadlines or requirements outlined in Protocol 9.0?Back to Top
The report from the DLC becomes invalid, and all candidates must run from the floor.
The DLC should proceed in completing its work and nominate candidates for each position as prescribed in Protocol 9.0. There is still value in having candidates going through DLC evaluation process.
When the DLC report is presented, the presenter will state which deadline or requirement was not adhered to by the DLC and present the report as an “advisory report.”
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What are significant changes to the DLC nominations report?Back to Top
The committee must nominate at least one candidate for the District Director, Program Quality Director, and Division Director. Two candidates must be selected for Club Growth Director.
If the requirements are not met per Protocol 9.0, the report may be deemed invalid.
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What are the significant updates to the DLC chair?Back to Top
The DLC chair is a non-voting member of the DLC and shall not hold another District position (include serving as a committee chair) during the program year in which the report is presented.
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What is the difference between a qualified candidate and an eligible candidate?Back to Top
A qualified candidate is a candidate that meets the qualifications outlined in the District Administrative Bylaws, Article VII (d).
An eligible candidate is a candidate that meets the qualifications and has been evaluated by the District Leadership Committee.
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If my District elects’ positions, other than District Director, Program Quality Director, Club Growth Director, and Division Directors, do those candidates need to be evaluated by the DLC?Back to Top
The DLC may evaluate candidates for additional elected positions if desired. However, qualified floor candidates that have not been evaluated by the DLC may stand and run from the floor during the elections.
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Can the DLC extend the nomination deadline?Back to Top
The DLC may extend the deadline for all positions if there is enough time to evaluate all candidates that apply and deliver the DLC report to the District Director no later than six (6) weeks prior to the elections.
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If the DLC report is distributed on time and the biographical forms are not attached, is that a reason to invalidate the DLC report?Back to Top
The biographical forms are not part of the nominations report. They are two separate items and therefore would not impact the validity of the report.
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If the nomination deadline has passed, can the DLC continue to source or accept nominations for open District leadership positions?Back to Top
No. Once the deadline to accept nominations has passed, consideration for nomination is not available unless the DLC Chair later extends the deadline for all candidates. The decision to extend the nomination deadline is at the sole discretion of the DLC Chair.
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What if a nominated candidate decides to withdraw after the DLC report is published?Back to Top
If a candidate withdraws after the DLC report is published, the report is still valid as the DLC has completed its task. Therefore, only candidates that have gone through the DLC process and were not nominated by the DLC are eligible to run from the floor.
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If a candidate is not elected for a position, can the candidate run from the floor for other positions?Back to Top
Yes, if a candidate loses a position, they may run from the floor for another position if the candidate has gone through the DLC process for that respective position.
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The District Leadership Committee cannot nominate two candidates for the Club Growth Director position, what happens next?Back to Top
Protocol 9.0 requires two Club Growth Director candidates to be nominated. If only one candidate is nominated, the requirements of Protocol 9.0 have not been met and the position will be considered invalid on the DLC report. The single nominated candidate may be listed on the DLC report. The report should contain a disclosure stating the position is invalid and qualified candidates may run from the floor during the business meeting, including the single nominated candidate.
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If a candidate has applied for multiple positions, and has completed the interview process for each position. How many positions should the candidate be nominated for?Back to Top
The DLC should only nominate the candidate for one position, so that it does not create confusion during the elections. (1) The candidate should be nominated for the position that is most desired by the candidate or (2) nominated to the position in which the DLC believes they are the best candidate for.
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Is each Division Director position considered a different position?Back to Top
All Division Director positions are considered the same position. Therefore, if a candidate goes through the DLC process for a Division, they are eligible to run from the floor for any Division for the election.
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How does the DLC nominate candidates for prospective Divisions that have not been approved by the District Council?Back to Top
The DLC and Alignment committee should communicate with each other on the possibility of forming a new Division. This way, the DLC can plan to interview candidates for the new Division, with an understanding the position is contingent on the alignment being approved.
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If there is a newly formed Division with no candidates, is this treated as a vacancy and later filled by the incoming District Director?Back to Top
Yes, following the guidelines in the District Administrative Bylaws, Article VII (g), the incoming District Director would appoint a Division Director at a later date.
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Does the DLC need to wait until the deadline for candidates to declare their intent to run before evaluating candidates?Back to Top
The DLC may begin evaluating candidates as soon as the District Leader Agreement and Release Statement, Candidate Biography Form, and photograph are submitted.
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Can the DLC Chair cast a vote for candidate nominations?Back to Top
No, the DLC Chair is a non-voting member of the DLC.
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Does the DLC Chair count as equal Division representation?Back to Top
The DLC Chair is not a voting member of the DLC. Therefore, they would not count as an equal representation for a Division.
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How does the DLC handle a tie when voting to nominate candidates?Back to Top
If a tie occurs, the DLC would continue discussions and revote until a majority is reached. If a majority is not reached, the candidate may not be nominated by the DLC.
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What happens if the DLC Chair does not finish their service and a new DLC Chair needs to be appointed?Back to Top
If the initial deadline of November 1 was met, the District Director may appoint a new DLC Chair without the DLC report being invalidated.
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Who evaluates complaints against the DLC?Back to Top
The District Executive Committee shall evaluate complaints regarding the DLC.
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How does the DLC handle a situation when a conflict of interest between a candidate and a DLC member is discovered after the DLC nomination vote has concluded?Back to Top
The District Executive Committee will determine the level of violation and take necessary action.
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When may a candidate begin campaigning?Back to Top
A candidate may begin campaigning as soon as they have submitted their Toastmasters International District Leader Agreement and Release Statement, Candidate Biography Form, and photograph to the DLC or District Director.