Hitchhiker’s Guide to Running for North Carolina DECA State Office

18 min readFeb 4, 2018

Updated for 2019 CDC elections!

When I first ran for office at CDC 2016, I had absolutely no idea what I was getting myself into. None. It was my chapter’s first year, so they couldn’t really advise me, either. Luckily, however, I was able to text a few questions to one of the current officers, and I had my questions answered. (Thanks, Charlie.) After running, though, I noticed I made a lot of mistakes, and even after rerunning last year, I made a few mistakes, too.

And that’s why I’m creating this guide: to debunk the process and shine a light on some common myths and questions. Feeling confused and overwhelmed about the entire process should never stand in the way to applying for the best and most rewarding leadership position you’ll hold in high school…I may be a bit biased. Having run twice and served two terms, I hope my perspectives about the process will be helpful in understanding what it takes to win an election.

There are four parts to running for office:

The Application (25%)
The Test (25%)
The Interview (25%)
The Votes (25%)

This guide will be broken into eight parts:

So You Want To Run For Office?
Timeline
The Application
The Test
The Interview
The Votes
FAQs
Parting Thoughts

A guide like this would have been very helpful in running for office the first time around. I hope this guide will help you in even the slightest way!

So You Want To Run For Office?

I realize by writing this guide that my time serving as a student leader for North Carolina DECA is coming to an end. However, I have watched dedicated members across the state blossom into true DECA fanatics. I know everyone running this year would make an impactful addition to the State Action Team and catapult North Carolina DECA to even more greatness. In part, I’m not reluctant to hand over the reins. I am confident our amazing association will continue to be in fantastic hands!

Can I Run?

To run for North Carolina DECA State Office, you must meet all of the following requirements:

Member of a chapter in good standing with North Carolina DECA
GPA of 80 (3.0 UW) or higher for the semester preceding CDC
Be a current sophomore, junior, or senior in high school

If you meet all of those qualifications, you are permitted to submit an application to run for state office!

President or Vice President?

Well, if you’re going to run, it’d be helpful to know what positions you can run for. You have two options: State President or Region Vice President. In North Carolina DECA, we have six officers — one state president and five region vice presidents. Each office will go through the same rigorous election process. The difference, though, is the competition and responsibilities. Generally speaking, the Presidential election will be more competitive than the VP elections. Also, the President has more duties and responsibilities while serving. It’s important to note, though, that each chapter may only run two candidates — one presidential candidate and one VP candidate (for their region).

Presidential Responsibilities (exclusive to President)

Directly lead your State Action Team
Expect chapter visits from chapters in all regions of North Carolina DECA
Serve as the lead North Carolina DECA Voting Delegate at ICDC

Vice President Responsibilities (exclusive to VP)

Expect chapter visits from chapters in your region
Directly communicate with advisors in your region
Attend MCECs in your district

Having served as both the State President and Dixie Pines VP, I have my own views of the differences of the positions:

My View on the President Role:

The State President is the captain of the ship. The boat (team) sails or sinks because of your actions. The workload of the President will be higher than that of any VP. Generally, the President can expect his chapter visits to be inclusive of the entire association (not confined to one region). At conferences, you will have more responsibilities (such as carrying the flag at opening). At ICDC, you will be the lead voting delegate; this role is very important as you are responsible for scheduling caucusing time with the Executive candidates. During meetings, if the team is split on a decision, you will have the (almost) final say. However, all roads lead back to the President. If a program/idea flops, then it’s your fault. If a program/idea is successful, you will reap from its success. The advantages are clear: it’s your team. Heading a team is a very important skill, and you’ll definitely learn how to do so in this position. The different styles of people you have to make mesh is diverse and a difficult task. Above all, you must be a leader yourself. Don’t waltz into this position if you aren’t up for the task. Your team will feed off of you. If you act what you preach, you’ll be fine. If not, your ship is headed straight to the Graveyard of the Atlantic.

My View on the VP Role:

The Vice President is definitely the more relaxed role. Depending on your region, you may not have many chapter requests. (The Triad region has many, many requests. The other regions generally sport less.) However, you still play a vital role in team dynamics. In NC, VP isn’t a backseat role. You have the same goal as the President (to launch NC to greatness), and you have the same expectations. You’ll still be faced with juggling multiple personality dynamics. Also, you must act what you preach, too. (Come on, it’s just a fact of life.) You still must have accountability for your actions; don’t think since you aren’t president you can walk free. If you want to walk marginal lines, then the VP has less of a workload than the President.

The workload of either position is what you make of it. Want to be remembered and leave a lasting legacy? Put in the work no matter your position. Either choice leads to great opportunities, experiences, and relationships. You can’t go wrong. It’s a personal choice, really.

How Is The Process Scored?

Each component — application, test, interview, and votes — will account for 25% of the final score. The application is scored out of 50. The test is scored out of 50. The interview is scored out of 100. The votes are scored based on the percentage you gained. At the end, the candidates with the highest score from each position will win office.

Timeline

Below is a tentative timeline for state officer elections:

February 13th: Application Due
March 14th (generally at 1 p.m.): Officer Testing
March 14th (generally at around 2 p.m.): Officer Interviews
March 14th (at Opening Session): Impromptu Questions (only if you are named an official candidate)
March 15th (generally starts at 12:15–12:30): Meet-and-greet with delegates
March 16th (at END of Grand Awards): New team is announced!!

Also, throughout the conference, candidates will be asked to assist the state officer team in rehearsal. Candidates’ help is super important for us. Also, it’s just cool to watch rehearsals, in my opinion.

The Application

Formally, the application is your intent to run. The Google Form document will collect your basic information, school/community activities, and your DECA activities. Furthermore, you are required to submit a statement of no more than 75 words expressing your desire to run for office and a copy of your transcript, electronic picture, and statement of promise — more about the statement later. In all, the application will be assessed on neatness, grammar, and the breadth/depth you have showcased in school/community and DECA activities. The application will compose 25% of the final score.

For 2019–2020, Team 76, the application and supporting documents to run for office are due by February 13th. (Woah — it’s crazy to think that we’re about to elect Team 76…feels like Team 73 was just elected.)

Basic Information

The “Basic Information” section will collect, well, your personal information. To be honest, there are no tips to be given for this section; it’s fairly black-and-white. However, be sure that your reported unweighted (out of a 4.0) matches the GPA on your submitted transcript. Also, please list an appropriate Twitter handle. The absolute worst thing you can do is link an inappropriate Twitter. No one wants to see your x-rated content.

School/Community Activities

This section will assess your extracurricular breadth. Here, you need to list all of your activities that exclude DECA — don’t include it! Great examples of possible activities include:

Student Government
School sports
Club sports
Any NON-DECA club — even if they are not well known and very school-specific!
Honor Society
Church involvement
Volunteering that doesn’t coincide with DECA

Possible examples of honors or recognition include:

Honor Roll/Academic honors
Awards won at competitions other than DECA
Sport MVP
Class-voted superlatives

Again, these are all possible options. Naturally, you may have activities that I failed to mention. As long as those activities aren’t related to DECA, then definitely list them in your application!

DECA Activities

This section will assess your depth in DECA and your desire to become a state officer. When I filled out my first state officer application, the “local” and “district” categories for activities confused me. (Hey, it was my first year in DECA; give me a break.) The “local” category is specific to your involvement in your home chapter, and the “district” activity is specific to, well, your district (most commonly, however, this will include any MCEC awards). When listing activities and awards be as thorough as possible. Even if one activity wasn’t very significant in your mind, it would still be wise to include it!

Desire to Run Essay: Arguably the most important component of the application, this short response has a maximum of ten points — which makes up 20% of the total points available in the application. Therefore, it is imperative that you take your time writing this! However, you are given a maximum of 75 words (really, there is no word counter on the form, though), so you must be concise in your answer.

Points to include in a good answer:

Building off previous teams’ programs and initiatives
Opportunity to connect with more members
Opportunity to work with officers who bring new thoughts and work dynamics to the group
Compound the leadership skills you have learned as a chapter officer
Ability to make a tangible impact

Points to not include:

Résumé builder (if this is you, please close this tab right now…thanks)
Go on cool trips
Skip a lot of school

Yes, all of those answers directly above are very, very, VERY poor answers and, unfortunately, are why some people want to run for state office. However, with a little magic, you can change those up a bit to reflect more appropriate answers:

Résumé builder…the ability to pursue the highest leadership ranks in the DECA association that I have grown to love.
Go on cool trips…the ability to broaden my network and build on my twenty-first-century skills by attending engaging DECA conferences across the country.
Skip a lot of school…the ability to build strong relationships with the amazing members that call North Carolina DECA home by participating in impactful chapter visits.

Above all, don’t fret if your DECA section isn’t stuffed with activities. I first ran for office my sophomore year…it was our chapter’s first year. When I filled out the application, I had never even been to state conference, and I ended up winning the election. (In fact, I had only been to one DECA conference and was a member for less than three months.)

Supplement Materials

At the end of the form, you are given a link where you are required to submit various supplement materials. These supporting documents include your transcript, electronic picture, and a statement of promise. The electronic picture that you choose will be the picture plastered on all voting ballots and displayed on the “big screens” at state conference. That said, please make sure your picture is appropriate. (This ain’t a modeling agency. You need to submit a picture of you in professional dress. There are no excuses. If you wouldn’t wear it to your dream job interview, then don’t you dare wear it in this picture.) Furthermore, the “official” transcript can be a bit confusing. Generally, “official transcript” means a signed and sealed copy directly from your school. However, you must scan your transcript and submit the file via the internet. That said, you don’t need the envelope+seal ordeal. Though, your transcript must come from your school; an online, printed version through a service like Power School would likely not suffice.

The statement of promise must include your signature and your advisor’s, parent/guardian’s, and principal’s. The document can be found at this link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1W7rFO_a1blxKwiqNlzwkxstu2762wt-K/view

The Test

Ah, yes, the state officer test. This test is fifty questions and includes a variety of multiple choice and matching. Your mark (out of fifty) will account for 25% of the overall candidate score. *Gasp!* Fifty questions!?! Don’t get stressed out, seriously. So many people needlessly stress about the test. If you know what DECA is, you’ll do fine. However, to get a high score, some studying is probably going to be required. But, don’t worry! That’s what I’m here for.

During the test, you will be assessed on your general knowledge of both DECA Inc. and North Carolina DECA. Some possible questions may include:

Where are DECA Inc./North Carolina DECA (yes, NC has an HQ, too) headquarters located?
Where will ICDC be located?
Who are the national/state officers?

So, yes, some questions are very straightforward and should be obvious (well, maybe not the HQ one) to a serious candidate; however, the test may ask more difficult questions, too:

What are the 9 CTSOs?
What company sponsors which DECA event?
Who are the various leads of NC DPI?

I’m a Quizlet guy, and while you could make your own Quizlet, I updated the one I made last year for the test to reflect new changes. (Why re-invent the wheel?) Feel free to use this to study for the test: https://quizlet.com/_1s53tf (updated 2019 version!). Further study materials can be found at https://www.dropbox.com/s/7zwhk40w9yiq870/Marketing%20Education%20and%20DECA%20Facts%20%281%29.docx?dl=0

Also, please arrive early for the test. Last year, we had a few stragglers, and that pushes everything back. When you’re ready for the test, the last thing you want to do is wait around for people to arrive, so please be courteous, too, and arrive early. Last year, check-in started at 12:45, and it’ll probably stay the same this year, too.

The Interview

Let’s face it: this is either your favorite part or your least favorite part. Directly following your test, you will be interviewed by a group of ten members from across the state. Good news for you, however: all of the possible questions you may be asked are released. Also, the rubric is released. Therefore, you should not be blindsided by anything,

Here is the question pool: https://www.dropbox.com/s/gbt9gu709amwra0/Officer%20Candidates%20Screening%20and%20Nominating%20Process%20-%20Possible%20Questions%20%281%29.docx?dl=0

Here is the rubric: https://www.dropbox.com/s/dybrktfp7ewp0q9/State%20Officer%20Candidate%20Evaluation%20%281%29.docx?dl=0

Some general tips to succeed in the interview include:

Shake everyone’s hand before and after the interview. A good rule of thumb to follow is to give a “DECA” handshake: direct, engaging, concise, and affectionate.
Don’t take a seat until you are invited to sit.
If you become flustered or nervous, take a breath and relax.
When answering, seem engaging — look around at everyone when you are answering a question (don’t stick to just looking at the person that asked you the question).
BE CONFIDENT!! If you’re not sure about an answer, just roll with it.
Be enthusiastic while answering. Look like you actually want to be in the interviewing room.

After all of the scores are tallied, the highest and lowest score will be dropped, and the remaining eight will be averaged. In all, there isn’t much to say about the interview. Every candidate has prior access to the questions, so you shouldn’t have an excuse to not know how to answer a question. However, they may ask you at the end to give a quick summary or ask if there is anything else you’d like to say. (If they don’t, try to squeeze it in.) During this time, I would advise you to briefly discuss your vision for your term, how that will affect their chapters, and how you will achieve that. (Basically, just pitch your campaign.) Many, if not all, of the interviewers also serve as voting delegates, so it’s a great double-dipping time.

The Voting

The vote, like all of the sections, accounts for 25% of the total score, so it should be held on an equal playing field, right? Well, not necessarily. Unlike the test and application, you have control over your competition’s outcome. If you secure one vote, that is one less your opponent can take. Therefore, I believe the voting is the most important part of running for office.

Impromptu Question

If you are named an official candidate, you will be asked to answer two impromptu questions on stage at Opening Session. (Yes, in front of all 3,600+ people!) This is the most nerve-wracking part of running. Generally, the first question is a serious leadership question. The second, however, is just plain random. Unlike the interview, you do not have access to the question pool. This part is not graded and will not affect your score; however, this is the first impression people get of you.

Though, some of the previous “random” questions I have heard include:

If you were a cereal/color, what flavor/color would you be?
If you could put one word on a t-shirt, what would it be?
You walk into a room for a meeting and the chairs are out of order. How would you arrange the chairs?
If you were a Disney character, what character would you be?
If you could have one superpower, what would it be and why?
What is your favorite TV show?

Before stepping on stage, let me let you in on a little secret: the stage is hot and you can’t see anything. Prepare for that.

In general, however, the crowd will cheer if you do a few things:

Put America literally in any part of your answer
You just talk really loudly and yell
Say that we’re the best association in the world (I mean that’s true so)

Theme

You’ve got to have a theme! Themes are fun and catchy ones will make people remember you. When I first ran, my theme was #WeathermanIsTheBetterMan. (Let’s ignore the fact I only ran against a girl.) Throughout the conference center, I always heard my theme being shouted. Catchy themes will allow people to remember you when voting! My second theme was #AndrewFroPresident. Again, a super catchy and memorable theme. Try to make your theme reflect a personal trait of yours or play off your name. Themes that reflect your platform aren’t generally rememberable. Also, the shorter the better. (I may have slightly ignored this my first year.)

Some good examples of past themes:

#AndrewFroPresident
#WeathermanIsTheBetterMan
#NB4TraidVP (rhyming also helps a bunch)
#SucceedWithReed

Campaigning?

Unlike many associations, North Carolina DECA does not allow explicit campaigning in the sense of booths, posters, buttons, giveaways, etc. Instead, all direct “campaigning” must be done by actually talking with delegates! Sure, it’d be easier to give out a pencil that says “Vote for Me,” but where’s the connection? (Even if you don’t win state office, running for office allows you to connect with so many members.) However, there are a few creative ways to get around that strict rule. In the past, members have created Snapchat geofilters, campaign posters for emails and social media (examples below), pins for their own chapter members (examples below), websites, etc. Posters and pins: posters cannot be put up around the convention center; they must be confined to emails and social media. Likewise, pins must only be worn by your chapter members and cannot be passed out!

Some examples of posters include:

All three posters have one great quality (besides that their creators won office):

Andrew’s: Color matches theme (and included theme)
Haylee’s: Included her DECA story
Dylan’s: Short and not too busy

To make a great poster, combine all three of those traits in yours. Posters are a great way to visually announce your campaign! However, don’t post them too early. Generally, I would advise to post them about two weeks out from state conference.

Campaign pins are also a great way to publicize your campaign about the conference center. However, please note: pins cannot be given out to any member/advisor that is not from your chapter; this includes your chapter members passing them out, too!

An example of a pin from last year:

This pin was effective because it’s simple and eye-popping. Don’t make your pin way too busy. Instead, make your pin pop with color (remember: it will most likely be set against a dark blazer) and avoid it being too busy!

The Meet-And-Greet

Immediately preceding the voting session, there will be a candidate meet-and-greet with the voting delegates: YOU NEED TO GO TO THIS!!! If delegates are on the fence about who to vote for, this time will sway their vote. Here, you will walk around and mingle with the delegates. Often times, you will be asked to pitch your campaign and will field a few questions. Generally, the questions reflect your platform, so make sure you know your platform very well. Though, you will occasionally be asked a few silly questions; during these, the delegates want to see how well you think on your feet and if you have a (non-cringe) sense of humor.

How Many Votes Do Chapters Have?

Based on their membership as of the CDC deadline, chapters will be given a varying number of votes. (See the picture below for the vote totals.)

When Do I Talk To Delegates?

ALWAYS!! During the conference, you should always be campaigning and marketing yourself. My personal favorite time to pitch your platform is during those darn elevator rides. (People can’t run away.) A few other times include: waiting for your event, at the mall, before and after sessions, the DECA Dance, on Twitter, etc. Voting delegates can be distinguished by their light pink ribbon that says “voting delegate.”

Also, always have an “elevator pitch” ready to go. Those things are so useful for campaigning. Lastly, you need your chapter’s support. A supportive chapter goes a very long way. Get your chapter to talk to people, too! During the meet-and-greet, the delegates from my chapter just went around and pitched me to other delegates, which proved very useful.

FAQs

This section is currently under construction. Please check back in later!

North Carolina DECA’s Team 75 held a state officer interest meeting call on Saturday, January 5th, 2019. On the call, the team discussed a variety of topics and answered a few questions posed by potential candidates. The team was gracious enough to give me a few of the pressing questions, and I will give my answer to them — and any additional common questions — below!

Question: Once a member fills an office, is any school missed?

Answer: Well, that entirely depends on the commitment and passion that you pour into your office. During my second term, Dylan Heneghan missed 40+ days of school because of chapter visits, conferences, and meetings! But, if you do not visit any chapters (which you definitely shouldn’t do!!) and just attend the required conferences (Power Trip and CDC) and meetings (various planning meetings), then your school absences, while still present, will be kept to a minimum.

But if you communicate with your teachers and school faculty early and often, then you shouldn’t run into many issues. All absences that exist because of official DECA business should be coded as “excused.” (I know my school, though, didn’t really care and always gave me a hard time.)

Q: How does the campaign process work?

A: Many questions surround the campaign process, which makes sense because it’s a little blurry and unconventional. When I first heard that running for state office would require “campaigning,” visions of hectic political races flew through my head. But, luckily for us, the campaign process for North Carolina DECA is nothing like the journey to Washington!

While running for North Carolina DECA state office, it’s important to remember what actions are not allowed:

There are no campaign booths.
There are no giveaways allowed! (This includes pencils, candy, business cards, etc.)
There are no posters allowed to be put up throughout the conference center!
Only your chapter members are allowed to wear campaign pins! This means that no chapter member is allowed to hand out/sell/trade your campaign pin.

Parting Thoughts

If you made it this far (and actually read the post), then you’re armed with enough knowledge to go out and win the election! Running for state office is a privilege, and serving as a state officer is the ride of a life. Even though the past two years have brought about unimaginable levels of stress, I wouldn’t trade it for the world. The people you meet, the places you go, and the things that you see are worth every last hair-pulling minute. Unlike many associations, our state officers have actual power: you serve and vote on the Board of Directors, you have the ability to create new programs and initiatives, and you have the privilege of visiting chapters across the state.

The reality, however, is grim: not everyone that runs will win. Also, if you lost last year and are rerunning this year, you are no guarantee, either. I’m proof that anybody can win office. Attack this election with all you have, and I’m confident that you will put yourself in a great spot to win.

If you have any further questions at all, feel free to reach out on Twitter at @DECA_Andrew and by email at deca.president.andrew@gmail.com. I wish everyone the absolute best of luck, and I can’t wait to meet all of the candidates in March!