District Governor Nominations
Serving as Governor for an entire Rotary district is an incredible honor. Individuals that serve in this capacity are recognized leaders, nominated by their clubs to fill this important role. As Governor, you are the official representative of Rotary International in your region. As Governor, your mission is to lead clubs, inspire Rotary members, and engage the general public in the important role fulfilled by Rotary in our community. District Governors serve for one full Rotary year, from July 1 to June 30, and are very actively engaged in District decision-making leading up to their year as Governor.

 
How It All Begins

 
The process of becoming a District Governor begins long before your year as Governor. In fact, District Governors are typically selected three years before they actually serve as Governor. Applicants for the position must fulfill certain requirements, including 1) having previously served as President of a Rotary club, and 2) being a member of Rotary for at least seven years by the time they become District Governor.
 
In addition, applicants are strongly encouraged to become active within the District. There are numerous ways to serve in both leadership and volunteer capacities within our District. More importantly, when you become active at the District level, you are becoming acquainted with members from other clubs, expanding your network and making new connections and relationships along the way. 


 
Governor Nominations

 

Nominations for District Governor are not made by individuals, but by Rotary clubs. The District exists for one purpose: to help support Rotary clubs. As such, the clubs submit members as candidates to be considered for the role of District Governor. Rotary clubs must submit a Governor Data Form, as well as a formal club resolution proposing their candidate. Candidates proposed by clubs must be active members of that club; clubs may not propose members from other clubs as their candidate. Most nomination forms are submitted during the late Fall or early Winter. Public notices will be sent to all clubs requesting nominations, with more information on deadlines.


Interview Process


 
Candidates for Governor whose paperwork is received by the deadline in good order will be invited to meet for an in-person interview. The interview will be conducted before the Selection Committee, which is created in accordance with the provisions of Rotary International Bylaws Article 13. An appointed individual serves as chair of the Selection Committee, made up of volunteers from each area in the district. Interviews typically last 45-60 minutes, and will cover a wide range of topics. Interviews conclude and, as their name implies, the Selection Committee "selects" their proposed candidate for District Governor Designate.


 
Opportunities for Challenges

After a candidate for Governor has been chosen, the chair of the Selection Committee issues a public announcement to all clubs as a formal notification of the nomination. This is done per Rotary International Bylaws, Article 14.020.6, which permits notification electronically. Clubs have fourteen days from that date of notification to set forth any challenges, in accordance with Rotary International Bylaws, Article 14.020.8. If no challenges are received by the deadline, the selection by the committee of the District Governor Designate becomes official.

 

As a District Governor:

During your year as governor, you will visit clubs, either separately or in multiclub meetings. The goal of these visits is to motivate and inspire members and offer district-level support for improving their communities.

 

AS GOVERNOR-ELECT

 

  • Attending the governors-elect training seminar 
  • Setting district goals for the year that align with the district strategic plan and Rotary’s strategic plan 
  • Appointing assistant governors and district committee chairs and reporting them in My Rotary 
  • Conducting district meetings, including the district team training seminar, presidents-elect training seminar, and district training assembly 
  • Planning for the district conference 
  • Reviewing clubs’ status with the governor, in preparation for the International Assembly
  • Attending the International Assembly

 

AS GOVERNOR

 

  • Conducting, implementing, or reviewing district strategic planning with the governor-elect and governor-nominee 
  • Strengthening clubs 
  • Starting clubs 
  • Promoting membership growth and engagement by working with district leaders and club presidents to set realistic membership goals for each club
  • Managing online membership leads with your district membership committee chair, including promptly reviewing and assigning leads to clubs
  • Supporting The Rotary Foundation through fundraising and grant activities
  • Serving as a spokesperson for your district and Rotary when appropriate
  • Helping the governor-elect plan and prepare for incoming officer training meetings
  • Conducting district events, including the district conference, district membership seminar, and district Rotary Foundation seminar
  • Supervising the district leadership team 
  • Encouraging open communication among clubs, as well as between clubs and RI
  • Officially visiting each club (through meetings with one or more clubs), to raise awareness of important Rotary issues, support struggling clubs, motivate club members to participate in service, and recognize members’ contributions
  • Communicating at least monthly with each club president and secretary
  • Fostering continuity by working with past, current, and incoming district leaders 
  • Transferring district files to the governor-elect at the end of your year
  • Reviewing clubs’ status with the district governor-elect before the International Assembly and offering recommendations for strengthening weak clubs
  • Assigning the governor-elect responsibilities related to committees, administration, or events
  • Ensuring that district nominations and elections are conducted according to the RI
 

Constitution and Bylaws and other RI policies

 

  • Inquiring regularly about the activities of Rotarian organizations operating in the district
  • Following the District Governor Code of Ethics
  • Performing such other duties as an officer of Rotary
  • When preparing for your year of service, using the planning calendar to note important dates
  • Preparing an expense report showing how your district has used the RI funding allocation, and submitting this to RI by the date prescribed 
  • Preparing an annual statement and report of district finances, and sharing this with Rotary and all clubs by 30 September in accordance with RI Bylaws section 16.060.4.