A Vote Counter in Toastmasters meetings is a designated role responsible for collecting and tabulating votes for various awards, typically for "Best Speaker," "Best Table Topic," and "Best Evaluator." This role ensures the fair and anonymous determination of award winners at the end of a meeting.
The Vote Counter's duties extend beyond simple tabulation. Before the meeting, they ensure that voting ballots and awards (like ribbons) are available, a task often shared with the Sergeant-at-Arms. During the meeting, when called upon by the Toastmaster, the Vote Counter provides a brief explanation of their duties, clarifying that guests are also eligible to vote. They are responsible for collecting votes after each relevant section of the meeting (prepared speeches, Table Topics, and evaluations), ensuring the Timer has reported first to disqualify any speakers who did not meet time requirements. Prompt collection of ballots is encouraged to prevent confusion and ensure accurate voting.
A crucial aspect of the Vote Counter's role is their handling of ties. The Vote Counter abstains from voting unless there is a tie, in which case they cast a tie-breaking ballot without revealing their vote or the vote counts to anyone, including coaches. This maintains the anonymity of individual votes and the privacy of the voting margins. At the end of the meeting, the Vote Counter hands a note to the Toastmaster with the winners' names, again without disclosing the number of votes each person received. They also collect and distribute feedback slips for speakers, highlighting their importance for skill development.
In online or hybrid meetings, digital tools can be utilized for vote counting. Platforms like the "Vote Counter's Tool" allow for digital ballots, where participants can vote via a link, and the Vote Counter can see the tally in real-time. These tools can also incorporate votes from physical ballots in hybrid settings. For larger, more formal events like District Council meetings, electronic voting platforms such as Election Buddy or Election Runner are used, which offer features like automatic tabulation, weighted votes, and voter registration. In such scenarios, a dedicated team manages the electronic voting process, ensuring proper credentials and ballot creation.
While the Sergeant-at-Arms is traditionally mentioned in some manuals as counting ballots, many clubs assign the Vote Counter as a separate role to manage the workload and ensure reliability. The role is considered ideal for new members to gain initial stage experience and develop meeting logistics skills.
