Submitted by Kris Nelson, DTM, PDD

Happy summer, fellow Toastmasters! I hope you’re all enjoying a wonderful summer!  

If you’re a Club President or Club Secretary, you’ve probably already received an email about your votes at the upcoming Annual Business Meeting on Friday, August 16th. All of this talk about proxies and votes can be confusing, so here’s some information to give you understanding, resources and some options to direct your actions.

Your vote matters. As a Club President or Club Secretary, you are responsible for the two votes. These votes are cast at the Annual Business Meeting each year at Toastmasters’ Annual Convention, and help to direct the future and leadership of our organization. Just like in politics, your vote is your voice. By choosing not to act, you choose not to be heard. (PS – don’t do that, choose to be heard instead!)

Who are we electing? International Directors serve a two-year term, half of whom are elected each year. In August 2024, International Directors representing even-numbered regions will be elected – Regions 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 14. Regions around the world have been realigned as of 2024 in order to better represent Toastmasters members, so you may notice some changes from past Region alignment.  Information about the Region alignment was share at the 2023 Annual Business Meeting and you can see more details about how this applies here. In District 123, we have previously been part of Region 6. Moving forward, we’ll be part of Region 5.

International Officers serve a one-year term. Roles above 2nd Vice President are rarely contested, so in electing a 2nd Vice-President, we are really choosing a future International President for 2027-28.

What do the International Officers and International Directors do? learn more here

• What does the District consider when voting?
• What skills does the candidate bring to the Board or Executive?
• Does the candidate understand the Board’s role – strategic rather than hands-on with members / clubs / districts?
• Is the candidate informed or experienced in areas which would benefit the board – finance, governance, strategic planning?
• Is the candidate able to apply a global perspective?
• Is the candidate informed to speak up effectively to contest or support important topics?
• Is the candidate someone you’d like to see representing Toastmasters on a global scale?
• Is the candidate able to look at a range of growth areas for Toastmasters International, and to work with others in making these happen?
• Does the candidate have a good understanding of the organization NOW, including organizational challenges, the Pathways educational program, and the 2022-2024 Strategic Plan?

As the district’s leaders, the District Director, with support from trio members, is responsible to interview and be informed about candidates running for each of these offices. For more information on your role and that of district and international leaders at the Annual Business Meeting, see here. There’s also a link to ABM FAQs on this page.

Do I have to assign my proxy? If you want your voice to be heard, the short answer is “yes”! Even if you plan to attend the Annual Business Meeting in person or online and cast your own votes, your proxy must still be assigned. You can assign your proxy to:

• any club member, including yourself (from a list)
• the District Director (a direct link)
• any Toastmasters member in good standing (you’ll need their member number) – make sure they’ll be attending the meeting!

Do both the Secretary and President need to assign a proxy? No! The proxy is assigned by one of these two officers on behalf of the club.

Are there deadlines involved? Yes! Everything you need to do is on your Home page when you log in at www.toastmasters.org. 

• You need to assign your proxy under Club Proxy and Voting Instructions by not later than August 9th, 2024
• If you are an assigned proxyholder, you can accept these under My Votes & Instructions between August 10th and August 13th, 2024.

Why should I consider assigning my proxy? There are a variety of reasons to consider assigning your proxy rather than casting your own votes. Here are a few:

• You’re not available for the business meeting – about five hours PST beginning on the morning of Friday, August 16th.
• You’re not informed about the candidates running for office (for any reason) and aren’t in a position to cast an informed vote.
• You’d rather someone else handle this

Want to cast your club’s ballots directly?

Assign your proxy to yourself

Be an informed voter – book candidate interviews here

Want more information? Check here: Proxy Assignment FAQ

~ Kris Nelson, DTM, PDD