Delegates may choose to run for an elected position at the annual NC YMCA Youth and Government Conference. Positions may be in the Executive, Judicial or Legislative branches.
Elected Officers
Delegations with multiple students interested in a position should host delegation-level elections to determine who will represent them on the ballot at the conference. These elections should be completed prior to pre-conferences.
Executive Officials
All executive candidates must complete the executive candidate application. These positions are elected by all delegates. If elected these executive officers will lead the conference planning for the following program year. This is a full-year commitment.
Legislative
- Governor - This official must be a strong leader who will coordinate and organize officers and all program areas for the following NC Youth and Government Year. Candidates must be a junior during the election year with one prior year of conference experience. It is strongly encouraged that delegates running for Governor have experience as a YAG officer or currently serve as a leader in their school. It is important that this candidate is extremely familiar with the program to lead our legislative and judicial programs, All delegates vote for this officer position.
- Lieutenant Governor - This official leads the legislative program in the senate chambers. This requires a strong understanding of Roberts Rules of Order and Parliamentary Procedure. Candidates must be a junior during the election year with one prior year of conference experience. In addition, candidates must serve as committee chair or clerk during the conference at which they are running for this position. All delegates vote for this officer position.
- Speaker of the House - This official leads the legislative program in the house of Representative Chambers. This requires a strong understanding of Roberts Rules of Order and Parliamentary Procedure. Candidates must be a sophomore during the election year with one prior year of conference experience. In addition, candidates must serve as committee chair, clerk, or floor leader during the conference at which they are running for this position.
Judicial
- Chief Justice - This official leads the court of appeals program. A strong understanding of how to write a brief and lead a courtroom is required. Candidates must be Juniors in High School at the time of election with one year of prior Conference experience. All delegates vote for this officer position.
- Attorney General - This official leads our Mock Trial program. A strong understanding of this program is required for this role. Candidates must be a Junior at the time of campaign/election with one year of prior conference experience. The runner-up delegate for this position will become the Senior District Attorney.
Associate Officials
All associate candidates must complete the associate candidate application. These positions are elected by delegates in the program area that the candidate is running to lead.
Legislative
- Presiding Officer - This official has a strong understanding of Roberts Rules of Order and Parliamentary Procedure. Delegates must have at least one year of conference experience and have served as a committee chair or clerk to run for this position. Legislative delegates vote for this position.
Judicial
- Associate Justice - This official supports the Chief Justice in leading courtrooms for the Court of Appeals Program. Delegates must have at least one year of conference experience to run. Court of Appeals delegates vote for this position.
- District Attorney - This role will support the attorney general in the mock trial program, leading a courtroom. Candidate must have had one year of Conference experience prior to campaigning/ election. Mock Trial delegates vote for this officer position.
Appointed Officials
There are many ways to be a part of leadership without running for office. Officials in these roles are appointed by Officers and State Office staff for specialty program officer roles. Delegates interested in appointment to officer positions should notify current officers in their program areas at the conference to be considered. If you are running for an elected position we encourage you to share your intent to be appointed if not elected.
Judicial Court of Appeals
- Associate Justice - In the event that we do not have enough elected associate justices, the newly elected Chief Justice will appoint associate justices. This official supports the Chief Justice in leading courtrooms for the Court of Appeals Program.
Judicial Mock Trial
- Senior District Attorney - This role will be responsible for assisting the Attorney General before and during the conference. This role will typically be the runner-up candidate for District Attorney
Legislative
- Chief of Staff - This official supports the Governor during all aspects of the program and conference. This is often filled by the runner-up candidate for Governor but not limited to this requirement.
- State Treasurer - This official leads the budget analysts delegates in the legislative program. This official must understand how to write a state budget and how to appropriately assess the fiscal feasibility of a proposed bill. Appointees must be juniors in High School at the time of appointment.
- Senior Budget Analyst - This role helps to support the State Treasurer and budget analyst delegates.
- Secretary of State - This role will lead the lobbyist delegates in the legislative program. As secretary of state, this delegate must understated how to write both pro and con arguments for proposed bills. Appointees must be juniors in High School with one year of prior conference experience at the time of appointment.
- Senior Lobbyist - This role helps to support the Secretary of State and lobbyist delegates.
- Senior Budget Analyst - This role helps to support the State Treasurer and budget analyst delegates.
- Legislative Associate - This role supports the Lieutenant Governor, Speaker of the House, and Speaker of the Forum to ensure committee chairs and clerks are trained successfully.
- Speaker of the Forum - This is an executive officer position that leads all aspects of the Freshman Forum Legislative Experience.
- Forum Presiding Officers - This is a position that chairs Forum Committee Chambers at Conference with the support of the Speaker of Forum
Media
- Media Editor in Chief - Media Editor in Chief, leads the media team to help produce content prior to and during the Youth & Government Conference. This is an executive officer position. This official must be a junior in High School at the time of appointment, with at least one year of conference experience.
- Media Associate Editors - These roles include Broadcast Editor, Print Editor, Social Media Editor and Photography Editor. All Media Associate Editors are appointed by the State Office and current Media Officers.