District 123 Procedures

1. The district director may permit any member or other invited individual to attend a DEC meeting online.

1. The online meeting software used is Zoom. Each attendee is responsible for their own technology, including updating to the latest version of Zoom, having a working camera, knowing how to use the raise hand or other needed features, their own internet connection, and using the Zoom App. No action of the DEC or District Council shall be made invalid on grounds related to the loss or poor quality of a member’s connection.

All online attendees shall identify themselves upon entering the meeting by renaming themselves with their DEC or Council Position or role in the meeting, and first and last name.

Maintain audio and video presence throughout the meeting.

Mute their microphone when not speaking.

Wait until they are acknowledged before speaking; see interrupting a speaker.

The chair may cause or ask for: the muting of a member, stop sharing of the screen, and disconnection of a member (If causing undue interference with the meeting or lack of video presence). The decision to disconnect  is subject to appeal made by any member. The decision shall be announced during the meeting and recorded in the minutes.

1. Chat – Once the meeting is called to order, the chat will be set to Host, and Co-hosts only. Host / Co-hosts shall be: Chair, Chat monitor, logistics manager, and Zoom managers(s). Credential(s) chairs shall be host/co-hosts for District Council meetings. Questions may be permitted via chat at the District Director’s discretion. Chat will be used for motions and to claim preference.
2. Spotlight – shall be used to show the Chair (visible at all times) and member assigned to the floor.
3. Zoom Reactions – Use the Raise hand feature to seek the floor and for voting when requested.
4. Screen Share – Sharing will be enabled for all presenters. Presenters shall ensure slides are brand-compliant and confirm that the share function works prior to displaying (no extra time will be given for technical issues).
5. Poll – Used for secret ballots.
6. Live Stream – District Council meetings will be available to all members via live stream on the district website. The stream will only show the chair, and anyone assigned the floor.
7. Recording – A meeting may be recorded for District Use Only and shall not be published or shared. No other attendee may record audio or video of the meeting. The following may review the recording: District Director, Administration Manager, District Parliamentarian, and Toastmasters International, as required.
8. Video – All online voting members must keep their video on during the meeting and be shown. *** Members online must be able to see the following at all times: the chair and all attendees. (Gallery view)
9. Follow Host’s Video Order – The Zoom Manager will lock the following attendees in this order: In-Person meeting feed(s) (including in-person presenters) and Chair.

Online attendees will use the Raise hand feature (under Zoom reactions), and in-person members will raise their hand in the meeting when wanting to speak, and shall wait to be acknowledged by the Chair. If the wait to be acknowledged exceeds two (2) minutes, or if a vote on the matter of comment is imminent,  the member may unmute and comment “I have been waiting to speak on [note matter]”. Once the floor is assigned, the Chair/chat monitor will remove all reactions, and any queued chats will be cleared. To claim preference, a member previously seeking recognition may promptly again seek recognition. When acknowledged, the member’s position, name, and club#, as appropriate, will be provided when required.

A member who intends to make a motion that allows interrupting a speaker (ie. point of order, parliamentarian inquiry, point of information) shall use the raise hand feature, post the motion in chat (if online) to the Chair, and wait a sufficient amount of time (3 seconds) before attempting to interrupt the speaker by stating the motion.

Roll Call will be conducted for DEC and District Council meetings after the meeting is called to order. The Administration Manager will check online and in-person attendance, and if needed, will call out each member of the DEC to ask if present, then record the response. The Administration Manager will provide the number of attendees to the Chair, and the chair will then confirm that quorum is present.

The proposed meetings for the upcoming year will be posted as events on the district website, www.toastmasters123.org, by not later than July 1.

Each event shall include the date, time, venue, and agenda for the related meeting. Other material, Zoom link, location, registration, and any other information pertaining to the meeting will be posted two weeks prior to the meeting.

A designated tab on the district website shall include all DEC and District Council meeting events.

The agenda will be approved at the start of the meeting. After acceptance, any changes to the agenda will require a vote of two-thirds cast in favour, or unanimous consent.

Voting members have up to one minute to ask a maximum of one question per report. Online members should use the raise hand feature to ask a question, and in-person members should raise their hand in the room to  ask a question.

These rules may be suspended for an individual meeting by a two-thirds majority vote or unanimous consent.

Access to the District 123 Procedures shall be available to voting members at all times at www.toastmasters123.org.

Any pending business or documents shall be reviewed by voting members prior to the meeting.

Main Motions, including amendments, shall be submitted in writing to the District Director / Chair, Administration Manager, and District Parliamentarian (one email to all three) at least 14 days prior to the meeting and shall be posted on the district website.

For any motions which may arise from the reports, unanimous consent may be used if the chair determines the motion shall be postponed. Any member can move to postpone.

All motions arising from the reports shall be displayed by the Administration Manager during debate and vote.

The maximum time for debate per motion is 10 minutes, including amendments, unless the Chair recommends and receives approval by unanimous consent or two-thirds vote in favour of allocating extended time for debate on the matter.

Each speaker shall have a maximum of 2 minutes to speak per motiuon.

The Chair will alternate between those against and in favour.

The Chair will alternate between online and in-person debaters, if applicable.

Only voting members may debate.

The Logistics Manager shall display a red signal when the maximum time is reached, and a vote will be called at that time.

The Administration Manager will display the motion which is being voted on, including any amendments made as a result of debate.

At a DEC meeting, voting shall occur by use of the QR code provided via screenshare for online attendees and in print copy for in-person attendees.

At a District Council meeting, voting shall be conducted via Zoom poll.

The Administration Manager will show the results of each vote, to be announced by the Chair, including the number of votes for each side, and any resulting action to be taken.

The Chair, Administration Manager, and Parliamentarian shall be seated at a table at the front of the room.

A  lectern shall be set at the front of the room in a place easily seen by all attendees, virtual and in-person.

The Chair should be able to see and be seen by all attendees at all times.

All reports shall be delivered by in-person attendees from the lectern.

Reports shall be displayed by the Logistics Manager / Zoom master(s) from a single computer, and shall be provided by those presenting not less than 24 hours prior to the meeting.

The following attendees are permitted to be present both in-person and online for any meeting: the Chair, Administrative Manager, and Logistic Manager / Zoom Master(s) or any others to whom the Chair has specifically granted permission.

The District 123 Communication & Leadership Award is a prestigious award that may be given annually to a non-Toastmaster who has made outstanding contributions in the areas of communication and leadership. It shall be presented at the annual District conference.

The District 123 Community Service Award is a prestigious award that may be given annually to a Toastmaster who has made outstanding contributions in the areas of communication and leadership in their community. It shall be presented at the annual District conference. Current voting members of the District Executive Committee shall not be eligible for this award.

Awarded annually at the annual fall “Of The Year” awards gala to a Toastmaster who best exemplifies Toastmasters International values in supporting the District mission. The Toastmaster of the Year will excel in a variety of communication, leadership, educational, marketing, and public relations activities. Current voting members of the District Executive Committee shall not be eligible for this award.

Awarded annually at the fall “Of The Year” awards gala to a club whose dedication,
commitment, and area team significantly contributed toward achieving the district
mission. Several activities and accomplishments are categorically listed.

For this category, check all the activities and accomplishments that apply to the club. Where
indicated, enter the number, frequency, or percentage of the accomplishment.
Basic qualification: A minimum of 4 club officers trained in each of the 2 training periods,
on-time payment of dues with a minimum of 8 members, of whom 3 must be renewals.

Current voting members of the District Executive Committee shall not be eligible for this
award.

This award is based on the Division performance and the Director’s individual
contributions to that achievement. It will further reflect their dedication, commitment, and
leadership towards the achievement of club goals and District mission, as well as the
factors shown.

This award is based on the Area performance and the Director’s individual contributions
to that achievement. It will further reflect their dedication, commitment, and leadership
towards the achievement of club goals and District mission, as well as the factors
shown. Basic qualification requires: Area Success Plan submitted on time, and 75% of
all club visit reports completed on time.

The District 123 Awards Committee shall be chaired by a Past District Director or another past district leader appointed by the District Director, along with a minimum of four current or previous district leaders representing at least four different divisions. This Committee Chair and all Chair nominations will comply with the Governing Documents of Toastmasters International, including that the District Leadership Chair may hold no other role during that year.

Each year’s awards will be chosen to represent accomplishments for the previous year. The committee will be called the “District 123 Awards Committee [Year of Awards]” and such committee shall be automatically discharged at the autumn event at which the awards are presented. Nominations for all awards will be accepted from July 15th to September 10th of thet immediately following Toastmasters year.

Nomination forms for all awards shall be made publicly available at https://toastmasters123.org/about/annual-awards/ by July 1 of the year to which they relate – for example, awards for the 2026-27 year shall be available at toastmasters123.org by not later than July 1, 2026, allowing members to see and strive for these.

Qualifier: As these Procedures are proposed in September 2025 for the 2025-26 Toastmasters year, awards information shall be available by not later than November 1, 2025, for the 2025-26 Toastmasters year.