Each program year, District 84 elects new district leaders — the trio (District Director, Program Quality Director, Club Growth Director) and the six Division Directors. This page describes the candidate process. The current year's candidate list is published separately each spring.
What roles are elected
- District Director — the elected head of the District; serves a single one-year term and then becomes Immediate Past District Director.
- Program Quality Director (PQD) — runs the District's education program; one-year term.
- Club Growth Director (CGD) — runs the District's membership growth and new-club efforts; one-year term.
- Division Directors — one for each of the six divisions; one-year terms.
Area Directors and the appointed program chairs (Education, Pathways, Conference, Public Relations Manager, Finance Manager, Administration Manager, Logistics Manager, etc.) are not elected — they are appointed by the incoming Trio for the program year.
Eligibility
Each role has specific eligibility requirements set by Toastmasters International — typically a combination of current membership in good standing, prior club officer experience, and prior District leadership experience (Area Director, Division Director). The District Leadership Committee (DLC) chair publishes the exact requirements each year.
How candidates are nominated
The District Leadership Committee, led by the Immediate Past District Director, runs the nomination process:
- Call for candidates — typically issued in January or February for the program year that starts the following July 1.
- Candidate applications — applicants submit a brief written statement (the "Why do you want to serve?" piece) plus their officer history and any reference letters.
- DLC review — the committee reviews applications, conducts candidate interviews, and forwards qualified candidates to the District for the election.
- Floor nominations — additional candidates can be nominated from the floor at the District Council Meeting at the spring conference.
- Election — votes are cast at the District Council Meeting held at the District Conference (typically May).
What candidacy looks like in practice
The candidacy is brief but real: a written statement of why you want to serve, a meet-and-greet at the District Council Meeting, and a short campaign period during which clubs and members can ask questions. The DLC encourages candidates to be specific about what they want to accomplish — the most useful candidate statements are concrete, not abstract.
If you're considering it
Talk to your Area Director, your current Division Director, or any current Trio officer. The District actively encourages experienced members to consider candidacy each year — the typical path is club officer → area director → division director → trio, but a strong club officer with the right mix of experience can move directly to a division or trio role.
The DLC Chair handles all questions about the current cycle — see the Leadership page.