Toastmasters Contests - For Contest Organizers
The District 55 2024 contest types are:
International Speech and Humorous
Organizing a contest is a fun, rewarding experience, but it can be somewhat overwhelming! On this page you'll find everything you need to know. Go step by step and get as much help as you can. Learning to delegate is an important part of organizing a successful event.
Step 1: Get Planning
Use these documents to keep track of all the things you need to do!
Complete Club Contest Planning and Tracking Guides/Templates
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PDF Version: Schedule Page - Task List - Materials to Bring - Role Tracker
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How to Chair a Contest: Presentation given to Contest Chairs. Includes a week-by-week, task-by-task walk-through of the Planning Guide above.
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Event Duration Predictor: Use these tools to find out how long your event will need to be:
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Put on a Good Show: Meeting Planner Handbook downloadable from Toastmasters International. A comprehensive guide to planning & organizing events.
Step 2. Choose A Date
Deadlines:
Club Contests (virtual) must complete by at least 2 weeks prior to your Area's Contests.
Area Contests (virtual) complete by at least 2 weeks prior to your Division's Contests.
Division Contests (hybrid) complete by at least 2 weeks before the District Contests.
The District Competitions will take place at this year's District Conference May 17-19 (in Corpus Christi) – These will be HYBRID
Area and Division Contest dates must be approved by the Program Quality Director.
If the above dates cannot be met, the date must be negotiated with the Chair of the next level contest. At a minimum, all contests must be completed at least two weeks prior to the next level contest. For example, your Club contest must be completed at least two weeks before your Area's contest.
Step 3. Get Qualified
The Rule book is updated every year. Please make sure that you have read all the relevant sections. We want to make sure that your contest is legal!
If you have any questions, check the Toastmasters International FAQs or ask your contest officials.
Contest Planning Training
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Setting Up A Club Contest with Betty Puckett
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Planning A Virtual Contest
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Time background [Tested with Zoom]
Contest Official Training
Step 4. Advertise Your Event!
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Make sure all your club, area and division members know about your contest
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Invite Toastmasters from the rest of District 55 on our Facebook page!
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Contest Agenda: a starting-point for your contest agenda. (MS Word DOC)
Step 5. Time For Paperwork!
Online Eligibility Checker
Make sure that all contestants are eligible to compete in speech contests without calling World Headquarters.
Access the Eligibility Checker Here
Dignitary List and Introduction Protocol
Print out this list, check in dignitaries as they arrive, then introduce them as they appear on the list
NOTE: If a person listed on the dignitary list is competing in a speech contest, they should not be introduced as a dignitary.
Download: Dignitary List
Scripts
These are official District 55 Contest Scripts and are intended to be used at all contest levels. When more than one contest is being held at a contest event, appropriate modifications can be made to the Toastmaster scripts to transition from one contest to another. Contestant interviews are to be conducted only after the last contest has concluded.
Presiding Officer
This can be the Contest Chair, the Club President for a Club Contest, Area Director for an Area Contest, Division Director for a Division Contest, or District Director for a District Contest.
Toastmaster
Contest Chair
Chief Judge
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Contest Winner Announcement Forms - to be filled out by the Chief Judge after the ballots are tallied, then given to the Contest Chair.
Virtual Contest Documentation
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Release form to record and publish a person's video
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required for District contests
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Area / Division Contest Evaluation Form
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used by a Contest Evaluator to rate the contest and make handwritten notes
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Post-conference Evaluation Form
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used to evaluate your own performance
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Contest Evaluation Forms
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Area / Division Contest Evaluation Form
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used by a Contest Evaluator to rate the contest and make handwritten notes
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Post-conference Evaluation Form
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used to evaluate your own performance
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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.
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.)