November 2025 Leader Letter

Separating Club Facts From Fiction

Learn the proper policies behind five common Toastmasters myths.

By Michael Barr

A graphic of three hands reaching toward the middle. One holds a lightbulb, another holds a magnifying glass over the lightbulb with an incomplete checklist inside, the third holds a pen. A question mark appears to the left of the hands.

Could your club be operating based on assumptions that simply aren’t true? Misunderstandings about voting procedures, officer authority, and membership requirements spread easily—and often become accepted practice. Here are some of the most persistent myths and the real policies behind them.

MYTH 1: Clubs do not have to vote in all new members.

REALITY: Toastmasters clubs are private associations that conduct membership by invitation only. All members, whether they're new, dual, reinstating, or transferring, need to be voted into the club before their membership can be added. The vote determines whether their membership will be approved, which means a new member may or may not be accepted.

MYTH 2: If the club did not vote a member in, the club cannot vote that member out.

REALITY: If a member was not voted in, they can still be removed by following Protocol 3.0. This is how club officers can remove a disruptive member from the club.

MYTH 3: Club officers have the authority to change how a club operates.

REALITY: While club officers can recommend changes to their clubs, such as meeting times or locations, the changes must be passed by club members in a club meeting where a quorum is present.

MYTH 4: Clubs are required to participate in the Distinguished Club Program (DCP).

REALITY: Although every club should want to participate in the DCP, since it encourages goals that foster a quality club environment, the DCP is optional.

MYTH 5: Membership Applications aren't required in all instances.

REALITY: Clubs need to complete a Membership Application for every new, dual, reinstating, or transfer member that joins. They also need to keep each signed application on file indefinitely, even for members who are no longer with the club. Online Membership Applications make this easier—you can send one through that person’s page on the Prospective Member Management page.

Learn more by reading the Club Constitution for Clubs of Toastmasters International. If you have additional questions, you can email clubquality@toastmasters.org.