Toastmasters Contests - For Contest Organizers
Judge Requirements
To be a chief judge, voting judge, or tiebreaking judge at a Toastmasters speech
contest, you must meet all eligibility requirements identified below.
1. At a club contest, be a paid member.
2. At an Area, Division, or District contest:
a) Be a paid member for a minimum of six (6) months.
b) Have completed a minimum of six (6) speech projects in the Competent
Communication manual or earned certificates of completion in Levels 1 and 2
of any path in the Toastmasters Pathways learning experience.
1. Only members who joined Toastmasters prior to the rollout of Pathways in
their region can apply speeches from the Competent Communication manual
towards eligibility for judging.
c) Be physically present at the contest for which you are serving
Officials Requirements
At each level of a Toastmasters speech contest, a specified number of voting judges and officials are required.
1. At club contests, a contest chair, chief judge, at least five (5) voting judges, a tiebreaking judge, two (2) counters, and two (2) timers are appointed, unless impractical.
2. At Area contests, there must be an equal number of voting judges from each club in the Area, or a minimum of five (5) voting judges. In addition to these voting judges, a contest chair, chief judge, tiebreaking judge, two (2) counters, and two (2) timers must be appointed.
3. At Division contests, there must be an equal number of voting judges from each Area in the Division, or a minimum of seven (7) voting judges. In addition to these voting judges, a contest chair, chief judge, tiebreaking judge, two (2) counters, and two (2) timers must be appointed. The chief judge, voting judges, and the tiebreaking judge must not be a member of any club in which a contestant is a member.
4. At District contests, there must be an equal number of voting judges from each Division in the District, or a minimum of seven (7) voting judges. In addition to these voting judges, a contest chair, chief judge, tiebreaking judge, three (3) counters, and two (2) timers must be appointed. The chief judge, voting judge, or tiebreaking judge must not be a member of any club in which a contestant is a member.
Contestant Eligibility
Eligibility
A. To be eligible to compete in any official Toastmasters speech contest, a member must:
1. Be a paid member of a club in the Area, Division, and District in which they are competing.
a) The club must also be in good standing.
b) A new, dual, or reinstated member must have dues and membership application current with World Headquarters.
2. Maintain eligibility at all levels of any contest.
a) If at any level it is determined that a contestant was ineligible to compete at any previous level, the contestant must be disqualified. This disqualification must occur even if the ineligibility is discovered at a later level and has been corrected.
B. In addition, to be eligible to compete in the International Speech Contest, a member must:
1. Have earned certificates of completion in Levels 1 and 2 of any path in the Toastmasters Pathways learning experience or earned a Distinguished Toastmaster award.
a) However, a charter member of a club chartered less than one (1) year before the club contest is permitted to compete without having completed this requirement. The club must have officially chartered before the Area contest.
C. The following are ineligible to compete in any Toastmasters speech contest:
1. Incumbent International Officers and Directors
2. Region Advisors or Region Advisor applicants
3. District officers whose terms expire June 30:
a) District Director
b) Program Quality Director
c) Club Growth Director
d) Administration Manager
e) Finance Manager
f ) Public Relations Manager
g) Division Director
h) Area Director
4. International Officer and Director candidates
5. Immediate Past District Directors
6. Candidates for District positions elected by the District Council for the term beginning the upcoming July 1.
7. Members who are serving in contest official or presenter roles that meet the following criteria:
a) Voting judge, tiebreaking judge or chief judge at the same contest type in which they would be competing beyond the club level, in any District.
b) Timer, ballot counter (counter), Sergeant at Arms, or other contest official role for the same contest in which they would be competing.
c) Presenter of an education session, a contest chair, a contest Toastmaster, or an event committee chair for the event at which the contest will be held, including Area, Division, and District events, as well as the International Convention.
8. The winner of the World Championship of Public Speaking® held in August during the International Convention is not eligible to compete in the International Speech Contest again at any level.
9. The winner of the Video Speech Contest announced at the International Convention is not eligible to compete in the Video Speech Contest again. Winners of the Video Speech Contest may compete in the International Speech Contest in subsequent years if all other eligibility requirements are met.
10. Toastmasters who are members in more than one (1) club and who meet all eligibility requirements are permitted to compete in the club contest(s) in each club in which they hold paid membership.
a) No contestant can compete in more than one (1) Area speech contest of a given type, even if the two (2) Areas are in different Divisions or Districts.
11. Each contestant must be physically present to compete beyond the club level. Participation by audio, video, or other remote technology is not permitted beyond the club level. (Exceptions: participants in the International Speech Contest Region Quarterfinals and Video Speech Contest.)