Presiding Officer - (club president, area director, division director) – Contests are “owned” by the Presiding Officer. It is their contest. Presiding Officer determines the contest budget (if any monies are available or if a small attendance fee is necessary).
Contest Chair - works with the Presiding Officer to arrange for the contest – date, location, advertising, Arranges to host the contest.
- Picks a contest date (club meeting is typical)
- Advertises
- Seeks contestants
- Selects a Chief Judge
- Serves as contest Toastmaster or gets a volunteer for contest Toastmaster
- Determines the need and makes arrangements for refreshments, etc.
- Contest chair can be the Presiding Officer and can be the Toastmaster for the contest.
Contest Toastmaster (can be the contest chairperson) - works with the contest chair to coordinate with the contestants and run the contest.
- Provides contest agenda.
- Leads the contest per Toastmaster contest rulebook.
- Can ask each contestant to fill out, sign and return the Speaker Certification of Eligibility in coordination with the Chief Judge.
- Can ask each contestant to fill out and return the Contestant Bio Information sheet which is useful for the contestant interviews.
Chief Judge - works with the Contest Chair to ensure a fair contest that follows the rulebook. The Chief Judge arranges for, trains, and briefs appropriate number of helpers:
- Ensures the contest follows contest rulebook.
- Provides all the forms for the contest.
- Selects judges from the club’s members and from outside the club.
- Selects timekeeper, ballot counters, and tie breaking judge.
- Verifies contestant eligibility (or coordinates that with the contest Toastmaster)
- Briefs the contestants on contest rules and performs speaking order draw (or coordinates that with the contest Toastmaster)
- Days ahead of the contest:
- Send the Speaker’s Certification of Eligibility and Originality to each contestant for signature.
- Ensure eligibility of each contest speaker. (Humorous Speech Contest requirement is to be a current paid up member of Toastmasters. International Speech Contest requirement includes being a paid-up member and includes having given a minimum number of speeches.)
- Email each Judge, Timekeeper, and Counter to ensure they arrive ahead of the contest start time. Email can include information about their roles thereby helping to ensure those individuals know their roles and have time to ask questions.
- Send Judging forms ahead to each judge.
- Ballots for appropriate contest(s)
- Send judges the Judge’s Certification of Eligibility and Code of Ethics for signature to be returned before the contest.
- Send Time Record Sheet to each Timekeeper.
- Send Counters Tally Sheet to each counter and Chief Judge.
Zoom Manager
- Activates the Zoom site and admit attendees.
- Turn site on 30 minutes before the contest.
- Each contestant must test their own camera and microphones.
- All attendees must have their window muted. Zoom manager will mute as needed.
- Timekeepers must have access to use Zoom backgrounds.