Dear Coach,
The time has come for you to cast your vote in our biennial district leadership election! Read on for details on eligibility and plan to participate by end of day on Wednesday, April 30. Leaders play a vital role in shaping the success of speech and debate in their community and across the country. District Committees plan and run the district tournament, work to recruit new schools and increase engagement, manage financial resources, determine local award winners, and more. Your role in selecting them is important!
Voting Considerations » Carefully consider those best qualified and motivated to lead, as well as those who best uphold our core values. Account for how well your committee choices reflect the student population your district serves. Additionally, as you consider who to vote for (or if you’re ready to serve), please keep in mind that the NSDA will launch a one-year pilot program in 2025-2026 that allows up to 25% of districts to design and implement an alternative qualification method for the National Tournament. The goal is to provide flexibility for districts to create a qualification process that better serves their schools and students while maintaining high competition standards. When you vote in the leadership election, you will help determine who may guide your district through this process.
Eligibility » Active, paid member coaches listed on a school’s roster within the district are eligible to serve on the District Committee. We encourage any coach interested in leadership to communicate their interest to their fellow coaches and advisors in the district.
Instructions » One advisor per high school may vote by logging in to their NSDA Account and selecting NSDA Voting from the left-side menu. Advisors must rank a minimum of six and a maximum of eight coaches. Votes shall be tallied by ordinal ballot; the ballot from each school to be counted equally. Ties will be broken by voter's head-to-head preference, then the number of first place votes, then the number of second place votes, and so on. The individual who earns the most votes will be designated as the district chair and serve as the Association’s main contact for that district. The next four individuals with the most votes also shall be elected to the committee.
