Proxy Assignment FAQ
-
What is “proxy assignment”?Back to Top
Each club in good standing is entitled to two (2) votes at the Annual Business Meeting (ABM). For these votes to be cast at the ABM, a club must first assign its proxy by designating a member (in good standing) as the club’s proxyholder. This is the person approved by the club to cast its votes. The process of assigning a proxy, known as “proxy assignment,” is completed on the Toastmasters International website by either the Club President or Club Secretary before the deadline.
If a club’s proxy is not assigned by the deadline, the club’s two votes cannot be cast at the Annual Business Meeting.
-
When can a club assign its proxy for the Annual Business Meeting? Is there a deadline?Back to Top
Proxy assignment opens in early July; a communication will be sent to all Club Presidents and Club Secretaries once it is available.
The deadline for assigning a club’s proxy is August 12, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time (PDT)/Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) -7.
-
How does the club determine who will act as its proxyholder and how the club’s votes will be cast at the Annual Business Meeting?Back to Top
As with any club business decision, the club should vote at a business meeting, with a quorum present, to decide whom to select as proxyholder and whether or how to instruct that proxyholder to cast the club’s votes.
-
Who assigns the proxy for the club?Back to Top
The club’s proxy can only be assigned by either the Club President or the Club Secretary.
The club’s proxy is not automatically assigned to anyone. The Club President or Club Secretary must designate the club’s proxyholder online through the Toastmasters International website. If one of these officers has already assigned the club’s proxy, no action is necessary from the other officer.
-
If the Club President or Secretary is carrying the club’s proxy, do they need to assign the proxy to themself?Back to Top
Yes. The proxy system does not automatically assign the club’s proxy to anyone. If the Club President or Secretary does not assign the proxy to themself, the system will show it as unassigned.
-
Can two individuals act as proxyholder for the same club?Back to Top
No. The Club President or Club Secretary must designate a single individual member to act as proxyholder and carry the club’s two votes. The club’s two votes cannot be split between multiple proxyholders.
-
What are the requirements of a proxyholder?Back to Top
A proxyholder must be a Toastmasters member in good standing. They need to be able to attend the entire Annual Business Meeting, onsite or online, on August 19, 2026, starting at 12 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time (PDT)/Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) -7. The estimated duration of the meeting is four hours.
The proxyholder will need a personal device (e.g., smartphone, tablet, laptop) capable of connecting to the internet regardless of whether they plan to attend online or onsite, as all voting is conducted online.
-
Who can clubs designate as their proxyholders?Back to Top
A club can designate an individual member in any of the following three categories as proxyholder:
- An active member from the club.
- The 2026–2027 District Director.
- Another active Toastmasters member (from a different club).
-
How does the Club President/Club Secretary assign the club’s proxy?Back to Top
To assign the club’s proxy, starting in July, the Club President or Club Secretary (not both) can follow the steps below:
- Log in to toastmasters.org/myhome with your email and password.
- Scroll to the Annual Business Meeting section on My Home (directly below the My Education and Achievements section).
- Click on “Club Proxy & Voting Instructions.”
- If you are an officer in multiple clubs, select the club for which you want to assign the proxy.
- Click the “Start” button next to “Designate Proxyholder.”
- Select from the three options for designating a proxyholder: A member of the club, the District Director, or other Toastmasters member.
- Follow the prompts to complete the process. To submit your proxyholder designation, on the “Review, edit, and submit” page enter your name into the signature box at the bottom, click the checkbox, and press “Confirm proxyholder.”
- If your club wants to use the option to provide instructions to the proxyholder, click on “Go to Designate Voting Instructions.” Voting instructions can also be submitted at a later time from “Club Proxy & Voting Instructions.”
-
Can a club change the proxyholder once one has already been designated?Back to Top
Yes. If a club wants to change its proxy assignment, the Club President or Secretary can follow the steps below before August 12, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time (PDT)/Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) -7:
- Log in to toastmasters.org/myhome with your email and password.
- Scroll to the Annual Business Meeting section on My Home (directly below the My Education and Achievements section).
- Click on “Club Proxy & Voting Instructions.”
- If you are an officer in multiple clubs, select the club for which you want to assign the proxy.
- Click the “Edit” button next to “Designate Proxyholder” to start the reassignment process.
- Click the “Edit” button under “Proxyholder.”
- Select one of the three categories for the new proxyholder and input the required information.
- To submit your updated proxyholder designation, enter your name into the signature box at the bottom of the page, click the checkbox, and press “Confirm proxyholder.”
-
I tried to reassign my club’s proxy online, but the “Edit” button is inactive.Back to Top
Clubs are only able to make changes to the club proxy assignment until August 12, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time (PDT)/Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) -7.
-
How many votes is each club allowed?Back to Top
As provided in the Bylaws of Toastmasters International, Article X, Section 1, each Member Club in good standing is entitled to two (2) votes, cast by the club’s single proxyholder, on each item (election or proposal) presented for a vote.
-
What does it mean for a club to be in good standing?Back to Top
Per Policy 2.0, Section 4.C., a club is considered in good standing when the following criteria have been met:
- A minimum of eight members have submitted their dues for the current dues period
- At least three of those members must have been club members during the previous renewal period.
-
What are “instructed” and “uninstructed” votes?Back to Top
Clubs have the option to provide voting instructions to their designated proxyholder. If voting instructions are provided, those votes are considered “instructed”; if no instructions are provided, those votes are considered “uninstructed.”
Instructed Votes
The club has indicated a choice(s) for International Officer and Director candidates and/or proposal(s); therefore, the proxyholder must vote as instructed. If a club has indicated “Abstain,” the proxyholder must not cast that club’s votes for any candidate in that election or for/against that proposal.
If subsequent ballots are needed for an election, and the candidate(s) the club indicated is removed from consideration, the proxyholder will vote as they believe is in the best interest of the organization.Uninstructed Votes
The club has not indicated a particular choice for candidates and/or proposal(s). The proxyholder must vote as they believe is in the best interest of the organization, and their vote must not be governed by any other person, group, or caucus.
-
I am the Vice President Education. Why can I not assign my club’s proxy?Back to Top
Though the Vice President Education is one of the club’s potential representatives on the District Council, the club’s proxyholder at the Annual Business Meeting can only be designated by the Club President or Club Secretary. To ensure your club is represented, please ask one of those two officers to assign the club’s proxy on toastmasters.org.
-
If the Club President/Club Secretary has opted out of receiving Toastmasters emails, how will the club receive information about proxy assignment?Back to Top
Even if a member has selected “No” for email under “My Privacy and Consents,” that member will still receive communications related to their membership and the organization’s business, such as voting and proxy assignment.
The emails regarding club proxies are sent to both the Club President and Club Secretary.
-
Will communications relating to club proxy assignment, Credentials, and voting be available in multiple languages?Back to Top
All communications will be in English.
-
Is a report available for District Directors to follow up with clubs that have not assigned proxies?Back to Top
District Directors will be able to see which clubs have assigned their proxies and which clubs have not. This information is accessed by following the steps below:
- Log in to toastmasters.org/myhome with your email and password.
- Scroll to the Annual Business Meeting section on My Home (directly below the My Education and Achievements section).
- Click on “Club Proxy Designations.”
District Directors are provided with the Club Presidents' names and contact information to follow up.
-
Is there a limit to the number of clubs for which an individual member can be designated as proxyholder?Back to Top
No, an individual member can act as proxyholder for any number of clubs and may cast each of those clubs’ two votes at the Annual Business Meeting.
-
How will undistricted clubs assign their proxies to a District Director?Back to Top
Each undistricted club has been pre-assigned a District Director to whom their proxy will be assigned if the club chooses the “Designate District Director” option.
-
What time zone is being used for the proxy assignment deadline?Back to Top
The deadline for proxy assignment will be in Pacific Daylight Time (PDT)/Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) -7.
-
I was designated as a proxyholder. What do I do now?Back to Top
To ensure a club’s votes can be cast at the Annual Business Meeting, proxyholders must complete the Credentials process. More information about the Credentials process can be found in the Credentials FAQ.
-
Where can I find more information on the Annual Business Meeting?Back to Top
More information about the Annual Business Meeting can be found in the Annual Business Meeting FAQ.
-
I have a question that is not listed here.Back to Top
If you have additional questions, please contact proxyinfo@toasmtasters.org.