Most times when Toastmasters run for offices it’s unopposed. Being a Toastmaster officer isn’t as glamorous as winning American Idol - where you get lots of money, magazine covers, the chance to make a record with awful cheesy lyrics, and a follow up edgy album about how being a celebrity is awful.

A few years ago when two fellows both ran for the same District Office, there was understandably a lot of excitement. (A District is a group of a hundred or more clubs grouped geographically, more here.) Both men were highly competent and I’m sure they both would have done a great job. The problem was that one fellow was known by just about everyone whereas the other fellow was unknown.

I knew that the first fellow was going to win and he did. I know the margin - 99-25 - because it was announced during the meeting.

Question: What purpose did announcing a vote that lopsided accomplish?

Answer: None.

On American Idol, which we’ve established is more important than being an officer in Toastmasters, they almost never announce how the voting turned out. One of the few times I can remember they announced any details on how the voting actually went was when one contestant won by 14,000 votes (out of two gazillion cast) in season 2. Announcing blow outs only serves to humiliate the loser, which serves no good purpose.

Question: Why was the 99-25 tally announced when even on cut-throat American Idol they don’t?

Answer: Almost certainly because some Toastmaster rule says you have to.

This is one of the consistent themes that I’m going to revisit again and again. Don’t let “some rule” (Toastmaster or not) blind you to common sense and compassion. If you’re the person running an election like this and announcing the results where it’s one vote shy of a 4-1 margin, just say something like, “It was a hard fight. Let’s all congratulate so and so for winning.” You will still have to tell the loser the results in private and I can’t imagine it being a particularly pleasant conversation, but that’s better than having the world in on it too.

The guy that lost the election held some other office the coming year so wasn’t too phased by this. Believe me, not everyone will be so gracious so you should do what you can to be gracious.