A club contest is a great night for your members, and a logistical puzzle for whoever runs it. Most of the trouble comes from finding enough officials and reading the rules too late. Here's a checklist for contest night, and a simple way to organize it in Toastmanagers.
Start with the rulebook
Toastmasters publishes an official Speech Contest Rulebook, and it governs eligibility, timing, originality, and protests. It changes, so download the current edition before you plan anything. In this guide, we've deliberately left out time limits and other specifics. Use the current rulebook for those.
The officials you'll need
- Contest chair
- Contest Toastmaster
- Chief judge
- Voting judges
- Tiebreaking judge
- Timers
- Counters
- Sergeant at Arms
Your rulebook sets out how many of each you need. Your Area Director can help you find judges from outside your club.
Timeline
Four weeks before
- Confirm the date, the contest types, and your Area's deadline
- Get the current rulebook and contest forms
- Announce the contest, and ask who wants to compete
- Check that contestants are eligible
Contestants must generally be paid members of a club in good standing. Some contests have extra requirements. For instance, the International Speech Contest has Pathways requirements, so check them early.
Two weeks before
- Fill every official role
- Brief your chief judge
- Check you've got enough ballots and forms
One week before
- Send officials their instructions
- Confirm the room and any equipment
- Remind contestants about timing and speech rules
Contest night
- Arrive early and set up
- Brief judges, timers, counters, and contestants before starting
- Draw the speaking order as the rulebook requires
- Keep a quiet place for counting
How judging works
Voting judges mark their official ballots for the top three. Counters collect them. The chief judge collects and verifies the timers' records, as well as the tiebreaking judge's ballot. The timers' written record is the official time. All ballots, tally sheets, and time records are confidential, so handle them accordingly.
Common mistakes
- Using an out-of-date rulebook
- Discovering on the night that a contestant isn't eligible
- Having too few officials
- Forgetting to brief the timers
- Announcing results before everything is verified
Organize contest night in Toastmanagers
Contest night has a different structure from a normal meeting, and it has many more people to coordinate. A one-off spreadsheet means starting from scratch every time. In Toastmanagers:
- Add contest roles such as Contest Chair, Chief Judge, Counter, and Contest Timer to your club's role list
- Create a contest template with your own agenda segments and lengths. You'll have it again next season
- Mark contest roles as officer-assigned, so members can't claim them by accident
- Reminders go out automatically to everyone with a role
- A PDF agenda comes straight from the assignments
After the contest
Send the winner's details to your Area, as your District requires, and help your winner prepare. Thank every official by name.
Schedule Contest Night Like Any Other Meeting
Add contest roles and a template, and reminders take care of the rest.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can a club skip its contest?
Check with your Area Director, since how contestants reach the Area level depends on your District's plan.
Can a judge be from our own club?
Check the current rulebook, including the eligibility form every judge signs.
How long does a club contest take?
That depends on how many contestants and contest types you've got. Plan generously, and allow time for counting.