Elections
| Site: | Saturn Forge: Learn |
| Course: | Build a RDG Toastmasters Club: Meetings |
| Book: | Elections |
| Printed by: | Guest user |
| Date: | Saturday, 23 November 2024, 8:31 AM |
Description
Nominations & elections culminate in a meeting, but are more a process. This lesson will explore some of the major tasks involved.
1. Introduction
Elections may only come around once or twice a year, but because they determine a big measure of your club's success, it's important to do them well. In this lesson, you'll learn how to handle nominations and elections.
In the RDG TM Officers course, you'll get more about the background details of conducting these.
2. Nominations
Optimally, about two months out from elections, the process of nominations should begin. For Spring elections that are done in May, this means the club should start the process in March. For clubs that have a semi-annual election schedule with elections in November, the process should be started in September.
March/September
- Top of month: Current president requests immediate past president (IPP) to assemble the nomination committee.
- IPP begins collecting nominations (self or otherwise), preferences (what people would prefer to be nominated for), & refusals (what offices people will not do). This can be done with forms provided in the resources section.
April/October
- Elections committee continues to collect nominations, preferences, and refusals.
- At last meeting of the month, the committee delivers the nomination report. The committee should make the report available to all members.
May/November
- Top of the month: Elections are held.
3. Elections
At the top of May (and November, for semi-annual clubs), given there is a quorum, elections must be held. The formal process is found within the Club Leadership Handbook.
Depending on how many people are running for office, your time requirements will vary. If no offices are contested, you can get through elections in 15-20 minutes. If many offices are contested, you may need to spend your entire meeting performing elections. You should make sure you have ballots available along with a vote counter in that case.
4. Officer Installation
One last elections-related item to consider related to your meetings is the installation of new officers. This should happen in early July (and early January for semi-annual clubs). Invite your area director to perform this task, and reserve about 20 minutes for it.
If your club has officer pins or badges, make plans to have all of them present as well.