Running for Office

The chance to serve Michigan DECA's members is an exciting opportunity and a big responsibility. Being elected as an officer is an honor… but serving entails a lot of commitment, hard work and dedication. Michigan DECA encourages potential candidates to talk to their parents, chapter advisor, employer, guidance counselor and principal to discuss the responsibilities involved in holding a state office.

Running for and holding a State Office is exciting and challenging. The rewards are many:

Personal growth
Development of life-long leadership skills
Travel to exciting places and meet new people
Plan Michigan DECA State Leadership, District and State Career Development Conferences
Visit high schools and universities
Recognition for chapter and community

Interested individuals should:

Talk to your parents, advisor, employer, and principal to discuss the responsibilities and activities.
Obtain permission for absences from school, work, and family activities.

State Officer Candidates must possess these skills and traits:

Great public speaking skills
Good writing skills
Dependability – be prompt, sincere, consistent, truthful, follows directions
Leadership – able to inspire others, resourceful, listens, uses good judgement, assertive
Industrious – persistent, good work habits, makes good use of time, hard working
Mental Alertness – be attentive, interested, eager to learn
Initiative – accepts responsibility, able to work without supervision, works at a steady pace, starts work without instruction
Ability to Get Along with Others – be adaptable, friendly, tactful, respectful of others, sense of humor
Personal appearance and grooming – take pride in your appearance
Attitude – be positive, honest, practices self-discipline, enthusiastic, motivated

What kind of training will I receive?

Once elected at the State Conference, training will be provided during the following required conferences: the International Career Development Conference, the CTSO State Officer Workshop, and the DECA Emerging Leaders’ Summit.
At the International Career Development Conference (attendance required), you will be assigned to several officer training workshops and voting delegate meetings. If you are competing, these activities will be scheduled around your competition schedule. Please note, due to the activities and commitments required of you as a State Officer you will not have much time to spend with your chapter at the conference.
Additional training will be available during State Officer meetings throughout your term of office.

Interested individuals MUST:

Be an active member in an affiliated Michigan High School Division chapter.
Be enrolled in or be a completer of a marketing, management, finance, hospitality, or entrepreneurship program during your Junior and Senior years of high school.
Have held a responsible position at the chapter level.
Candidates may only run in their Junior (11th grade) year of school.
Be recommended by the chapter advisor, parents, chapter members, and school administrators.
Be the only candidate from your DECA chapter (chapters may only have one candidate).
Have good speaking and writing skills.
Complete the required forms (See the application process for specific instructions):
- Register for the Candidate Screening
- Complete the online Candidate Information Form
- Complete the Candidate Signature Packet with two letters of recommendation
Attend the State Officer Candidate Screening Interviews in East Lansing, Michigan.
Follow the Michigan DECA State Officer Campaign Guidelines (in the Campaign Guidebook and other details will be sent once you are approved to run for office).
Agree to the State Officer Code of Conduct (in the Candidate Signature Packet).

Key Dates: (TENTATIVE – SUBJECT TO CHANGE)

December 1, 2026 – Candidate online forms open

January 21, 2027 – Screening registration & Advisor approval due

January 26, 2027 – Candidate information form due

January 29, 2027 – Finish the Signature Packet with all required signatures

January 30, 2027 – Attend the State Officer Candidate Screening in Lansing, Michigan. Don’t forget to bring the printed and fully complete Signature Packet with you

February 25, 2027 – Campaign Form and Flyer Due

March 11, 2027 – Campaign Activities (meeting, campaign table, and opening session introduction) at the State Career Development Conference

March 13, 2027 – Voting results will be announced during the award session.

Application Process

Before Thursday, January 21, 2027

Study the Candidate Guidebook for complete rules, regulations, and information about running for office.
Candidates must register for the State Officer Candidate Screening by completing the online Candidate Screening Registration Form.
Upon submission of the online Candidate Screening Registration Form, the chapter Advisor will receive an email to approve of the candidate’s intent to run for office.
After approval by the Advisor, the Candidate will receive an email with the link to the online Candidate Information Form to complete by January 26th.
Michigan DECA will also email each candidate’s Advisor an online Recommendation Form.

Before Thursday, January 26, 2027

Candidates will receive a link via email to complete the online Candidate Information Form as soon as your Advisor approves your run for office. The Candidate Information form collects basic information of the candidate and will be shared internally only by Michigan DECA and the election committee. Information needed for this form includes:

Basic contact information for candidate and parents (phone numbers, address, etc.)
Clothing sizes
Information about DECA conferences attended, DECA chapter activities, community activities, and your future goals and plans.
Rank of your State Officer position preferences. Note: Potential candidates will not select a specific office to run for. The Election Committee will slate up to sixteen candidates based on the candidate application and screening process. The State Executive Council will consist of eight officers.
Complete the Candidate Signature Packet and gather the required signatures and recommendations. The original copy must be brought to the State Officer Candidate Screening on January 30, 2027. No scans of the signature packet will be accepted, these pages must be the original signatures by all parties.
Each candidate must secure two recommendations using the Recommendation Form found on the last pages of the signature packet. Suggested resources for these recommendations include school officials, teachers, counselors, employers, community members and leaders, etc. Recommendations may not be provided by the DECA chapter advisor, parents, relatives, or classmates. Any recommendations received by the candidate in a sealed envelope may not be opened by the candidate.

Step 1:

Step 2:

On Saturday, January 30, 2027

All potential candidates must attend the State Officer Candidate Screening on Saturday, January 30, 2027, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in East Lansing, Michigan.
Candidates who do not attend will not be considered.
The completed Candidate Signature Packet and Recommendation forms must be turned in when you arrive at the screening.

Each candidate will participate in the following at the State Officer Candidate Screening:

Candidate Interview
Deliver a two-minute presentation on “DECA and What it Means to Me.” The audience is the screening committee, and the purpose of the speech is to convince the committee of your belief in DECA and its goals and your dedication to the organization. The speech should be viewed as a sales presentation on your behalf.
Participate in an evaluated interpersonal skills activity.
Take a written examination.
Photos will be taken for use on the website and in Spotlight on DECA.

State Officer Screening Policies

Candidates must submit the required materials by the posted deadlines.
Chapters may not have more than one candidate for state office.
A DECA blazer (optional) and/or other suitable professional dress is appropriate.
The Election committee will evaluate each candidate during the screening process on the criteria provided and may slot a maximum of sixteen candidates to run for state office.
Potential candidates will not select a specific office to run for. The Election Committee will slate up to sixteen candidates based on the candidate’s combined applications and screening process. The State Executive Council will consist of no more than eight officers.

Step 3:

What happens next?

The election committee will approve candidates to run for office, who will be notified.
Prepare your campaign. After being approved by the Election Committee, you will receive guidance and regulations for your campaign.
Review responsibilities and commitments of office.
Review the election process.
Candidates cannot post anything about their campaign or that they are running for office until they are given approval and posting regulations after they have been approved to run for office. Candidates may post on social media according to the guidelines provided.
No materials may be sent to chapters or voting delegates prior to the State Conference.

By February 25, 2027:

Approved candidates must EMAIL a one-page black and white/greyscale (8 1/2” x 11”) State Officer Candidate Flyer by February 25th that will be distributed in a special packet for voting delegates. We will contact you with the email address to send the attachment.
Email the completed Campaign Materials Summary Form to the email address provided to send the attachment.

At the State Conference:

Attend the Candidate Briefing meeting at Huntington Place (time and date to be announced). If your competitive event orientation interferes with the Candidate Briefing, you will be excused from the orientation, and testing if applicable. You will need to report to the event’s check-in desk on Friday at the first time listed in the program for your event, in order to pickup your competition schedule. If you also missed the Comprehensive Exam on Thursday, there will be a morning and an afternoon makeup time on Friday.
You will need to bring with you the following items to the Candidate Briefing. Candidates who are missing any of the required materials will not be allowed to open their campaign table.
- A copy of your completed and current Campaign Summary Form
- A bag containing one of each promotional item that you plan on distributing at your table.
Staff your campaign table – (time and date to be announced)
- Campaign displays will be in a ballroom at Huntington Place.
- Each candidate will be assigned to one 8’ table for their display.
- Chants, marches, music, shouting, noisemakers, and demonstrations are not allowed.
- Only Voting Delegates, Candidates, Advisors, and Campaign Workers will be allowed into the room. All Voting Delegates must have the ribbon attached to their nametag to enter.
- You may enlist 1-2 chapter members to assist with your campaign table at the State Conference. The candidate is responsible for the actions of his/her campaign workers. Please advise them of all rules and regulations. Campaign workers must also be registered to compete at the conference.
- Each candidate must have an Advisor or Chaperone in the campaign room during the hours of the campaign.
Candidates will give a one-minute greeting during the Opening Session at the State Career Development Conference. Candidates must use a normal speaking voice. If a Candidate yells into the microphone, their microphone will be turned off, their time will be cut short, and will be escorted from the stage.
No campaigning can take place after the Opening Session at the State Career Development Conference.
The election will take place following the Opening Session.
Election results will be announced during the Award Session on Saturday morning.

If you have any questions about being a State Officer, your best resource is to contact a current State Officer or Mr. Wait, Michigan DECA’s State Director.