General Guidelines and Tips

• Do NOT double up on contest official roles.

• Make sure all contestants and contest officials have access to the Speech Contest Rulebook, 2025-2026 (Item 1171). Preferably, send the PDF to them well ahead of the contest.

• Make sure the Contest Chair (or Contest Toastmaster) and the Chief Judge understand their respective briefings prior to the contest.

• Remind contestants and contest officials to arrive early for their respective briefings.

• Plan for contingencies: a contest official or contestant is a no-show. Some contest forms are missing. Contest officials may need pens and clipboards. Have backup timing devices and timing signals available.

• Remember to set aside a space for the Chief Judge and Ballot Counters to perform the count to determine winners.

• Know what forms are due for the next level of competition. Have the contest winners send their Speakers Certification of Eligibility and Originality forms to the next contest level's contest chair. The Contest Chair is responsible for sending the Notification of Contest Winner [typically filled out by the Chief Judge] to the next contest level's contest chair.

 

Can clubs advance two contestants to their Area contest?

If an Area has four (4) assigned clubs or fewer in good standing, it may allow two (2) contestants from each club to compete in the Area contest. Should additional clubs charter or regain "good standing" status after December 3, 2025, and prior to the Area contest, two (2) contestants from each club are permitted to compete.

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How is the case of only one contestant in a contest handled?

The sole contestant is introduced, they speak, and... "When the last contestant finishes speaking, the contest chair [or contest Toastmaster] will ask for silence until the ballot counters have collected all ballots. The chief judge will notify the contest chair when all ballots have been collected. The contest must only resume once this notification is received."

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If there is only one contestant in a contest, why do the judges need to fill out their ballots?

They do not have to fill out their ballot. However, they can each raise an empty envelope for the ballot counters to collect. If a voting judge lodges a protest for eligibility or originality, this helps to conceal their identity.

 

The Chief Judge may advise voting judges and the tiebreaking judge to rate the sole contestant just like they would any other contestant for that contest type. The extra practice is helpful to the judges.

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How much time should a Contest Toastmaster allow after each contestant speaks?

"There will be one (1) minute of silence between contestant speeches, during which voting judges and the tiebreaking judge will mark their ballots. All voting judges and the tiebreaking judge will judge all contestants; the chief judge does not judge contestants."

 

"When the last contestant finishes speaking, the contest chair will ask for silence until the ballot counters have collected all ballots. The chief judge will notify the contest chair when all ballots have been collected. The contest must only resume once this notification is received."

 

If there is only one contestant in a given contest, the latter timing rule applies.

 

Suggested wording for the Contest Toastmaster:

• We need a minute of silence for the judges to mark their ballots. Mister or Madam Timer, please indicate when that minute has passed.

• We need to remain silent until all ballots have been collected. The Chief Judge will announce when all ballots have been collected.

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What are the requirements for all contest officials?

• Must be a paid member of Toastmasters

• Must be physically present at the contest venue

 

What are the additional requirements for judges?

To be a chief judge, voting judge, or tiebreaking judge at a Toastmasters speech contest, you must meet all eligibility requirements identified below.

• At a club contest, be a paid member.

• At an Area, Division, or District contest

  • Be a paid member for a minimum of six (6) months.

  • 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.

    • 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.

 

Who may not serve as a judge?

• A contestant may not serve as a chief judge, voting judge, or tiebreaking judge at any level, in any district, for the contest type in which they continue to compete.

• At the Division level or higher, a chief judge, voting judge, or tiebreaking judge must not be a member of any club in which a contestant is a member.

 

I am an Area Director, but not currently a member of a club in that Area, am I eligible to be a judge in the Division contest?

As an Area Director (AD), you represent that Area even if you are not a member of a club in that same Area. This is a consideration when selecting voting judges for a Division contest.

 

Example: Joyce Cooper is Area 24 Director and is a member of a club in Area 23 (ABC Toastmasters) and a club in Area 14 (XYZ Toastmasters). Areas 2x are in Division B and Areas in 1y are in Division A. Say there are five Divisions in District 999. A judge at the Division level (or higher) is ineligible if they are a member of a club to which any contestant at that contest belongs.

 

If a contestant at a Division level contest or higher belongs to either ABC Toastmasters or XYZ Toastmasters, Joyce Cooper may not serve as a judge for that contest.

 

If Joyce is to be a voting judge at a Division B contest, all Areas in the Division must be equally represented. Say there are four Areas in Division B. There must be a judge from Area 21, another from Area 22, and another from either Area 23 or Area 24 as Joyce is not counted twice. Since a Divisional contest must have a minimum of seven (7) voting judges, there must be at least three additional judges who do not represent any of the Areas as a club member or an Area Director.

 

This logic applies to Division Directors for eligibility to judge at the District contest.

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What is the complement of required contest officials?

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

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Are there any forms that contest judges must submit prior to the contest?

All voting judges and the tiebreaking judge for a contest must submit a completed and signed Judge's Certification of Eligibility and Code of Ethics to the Chief Judge prior to the contest. Voting judges and the tiebreaking judge must complete and sign a Judge's Certification of Eligibility and Code of Ethics for each contest type and each Area or Division in the case of joint Area or joint Division contests.

 

Example: Hypothetically, say Areas 11 and 12 conduct a joint contest for the International Speech contest and the Humorous Speech contest. That would require four (4) completed and signed Judge's Certification of Eligibility and Code of Ethics from each voting judge and the tiebreaking judge.

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In the case of joint contests or multiple contest types, how does that affect the needed forms?

Treat each contest (by type or by Area or Division) as its own separate contest.

 

Example: Hypothetically, say Areas 11, 12, 13 conduct a joint contest for the International Speech contest and the Humorous Speech contest. That would represent six (6) distinct contests taking place at the same location and date.

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Where can I obtain the necessary forms for a speech contest?

• All forms needed for the International Speech Contest

• All forms needed for the Humorous Speech Contest

 

See Toastmasters International Speech Contests Page

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Guidelines:

• For purposes of the equal number of voting judges, it means all clubs in the Area/areas in the Division/divisions in the District, even if the club/area/division do not have a contestant representing them in the Area/Division/District contest.

• If a potential voting judge is a member of multiple clubs in an area, they may be deemed a member of a club not represented by the other voting judges.

• If a potential voting judge is a member of clubs in multiple areas within a division, they may be deemed a member of a club in an area not represented by the other voting judges. Of course, if they are a member of any club in which a contestant is a member, they may not serve as a judge.

• If a potential voting judge is a member of clubs in multiple divisions within a district, they may be deemed a member of a club in a division not represented by the other voting judges. Of course, if they are a member of any club in which a contestant is a member, they may not serve as a judge.

• It may be easier to have voting judges from outside of the Area/Division/District to satisfy the requirements set forth above.

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Tips and Reminders:

• The Chief Judge of a contest may not serve as the tiebreaking judge at that contest

• All voting judges, tiebreaking judge, and Timers must be provided envelopes in which to place their ballots or Speech Contest Record Time Sheet for collection by the Ballot Counters or Chief Judge

• One Timer reads the contest timing rules (printed on the Speech Contest Record Time Sheet) and the other Timer operates the timing device and signals. Both record the contest times on the Speech Contest Record Time Sheet.

• Contest Chairs and Chief Judges can use Club Central/Membership Management and the Eligibility Assistant to vet contestants for eligibility and judges for conflicts. Feign adding the contestant or judge as a member to determine their Member ID; you will need their Surname and Email address (used for their Profile on Toastmasters' website). To use the Eligibility Assistant, you will need their Surname and Member ID.