• Any eligible student may apply for the Area’s State Officer and participate in the student’s respective Area’s selection process. Should an area decide to limit districts to a specific number of candidates the procedures outlined in this document should be followed at the district level. 
  
  
• Candidates may not "give away", hand out, or use any items/gifts/business cards etc.
  
  
• Texas FFA Constitution Article X. Section F. The state officers shall hold the State FFA Degree at the time of their election at the state convention and must be active members for the duration of their term in office. A candidate may be eligible to run for state office through the second convention after their graduation from high school. 
  
  
• On the first business day immediately following each Area’s Convention and no later than May 22, 2024, the Area’s solitary State Officer’s name and contact information must be submitted via email to Ashlee Laird (ashlee@texasffa.org). 
  
  
• Each Area’s State Officer shall be a candidate for State President and State First Vice President.
  
  
• Each Area will select its State Officer by using a standard rubric and scoring spreadsheet which will be developed and distributed to the Area Coordinators and the Area Election Officials by December 15, 2023.
  
  
• The Area Executive Committee may appoint an Area Election Official to assist the Area Coordinator in the selection process, and must submit that name and email by January 15, 2024 to Ashlee Laird. Individuals may not serve as the Area Election Official if an individual from their chapter or a relative is a candidate.
  
  
• The Area Coordinator and Area Elections Official for each Area will be tasked with administering the selection process in their respective Area no later than May 22, 2024.
  
  
• Upon completion of the selection process, all documents used in the selection process (applications, rubrics, scoring spreadsheet, etc.) must be submitted via email to Ashlee Laird by 5 pm the day following the selection process. 
  
  
• Each Area’s selection process will utilize the following scoring formula: 

Process Procedures:

• All State Officer candidates for each Area will take the written knowledge exam at the same date, time, and location determined and communicated by the Area Coordinator.
  
  
• All State Office candidates will be given the opportunity to participate in a personal round introduction.  This round will NOT be scored but will provide the opportunity for all candidates to introduce themselves and for the Area Elections Committee, defined below, to derive questions.
  
  
• All candidates should be asked the same set of questions during the interview, clarification/follow-up questions are permitted. These questions shall be created by the Area Elections Committee upon the conclusion of the Personal Introduction Round.

• The written knowledge exam will be developed by Q-Bank and each Area will be given access to the exam link on the day that Area’s State Officer candidates take the written knowledge exam. The exam will consist of questions from the Official FFA Manual, 2023-2024 Leadership Guide, 2023 Ag Issues Briefs, and 2023 Farm Facts, and Gray’s Parliamentary Guide. No two Areas will have the same written exam.
  
  
• Speech Length
  - 2.5 minutes for initial speech
  - 1 minute for Thought Question
  - 1 minute for Run-off (if applicable) 
  
  
• Speech Guidelines
  - Candidates will not use any props or other materials. Audience participation by the general corporate audience without reference to any individual is not considered use of a prop. Having a specific member or group of members identified by proper name participate is considered to be use of a prop.
  
  - Candidates will choose the style of microphone desired for their candidate speech at the designated stage practice and will be given an opportunity to test the microphones.
  
  - Candidates may use a podium or walk the stage area but may not kneel, squat, be seated on stage, or leave the stage during their candidate speech. The entire presentation must begin and end on stage. 

Area Elections Committee:

• Each Area shall determine an Area Elections Committee by February 1, 2024. 
  
  
• The name and contact information for each member of the Area Elections Committee will be indicated on this Google Form (see link) which shall be completed no later than 5 pm on February 1, 2024.
  
  
• The Area Elections Committee in each Area will have no less than 7 individuals (a total of 9 individuals is recommended), with at least 1 student officer representing each District within the Area. Student officers should be from the Area Officer team unless they are running for state office, in which case, the highest ranking district officer who is eligible should serve in this role. Individuals may not serve on the Area Elections Committee if an individual from their chapter or a relative is a current candidate.
  
  
• The Area Elections Committee will have no less than 1 and not more than 3 industry representatives.  Aside from industry representatives, no other adults may serve on the Area Elections Committee. This individual shall not be a current Ag Science Teacher and shall not have any family or close personal relationship with any state office candidate from the area or any other Elections Committee member.
  
  
• The Area Coordinator for each Area, with the assistance of the Area Elections Official, appointed by the Area Executive Committee, shall be responsible for appointing the members of the Area Elections Committee.