How to Address a Designate
How to Address a Nominee
How to Address Someone Likely to Get an Office – Not Yet in Office?
A person identified for an official position gets no title to use as part of their name — until they assume office / are sworn into office. They are addressed in the manner to which they are entitled – Mr./Mrs./Dr./etc., other rank, or a courtesy title such as the Honorable – if they are entitled to it from prior service. How to Address a Nominee
—-Envelope or address block of letter or email:
—-—-—-Mr./Ms./Dr./etc. (Full name)
—-—-—-(Address)
—-—-Or if they are retired military:
—-—-—-(Full Rank) (Full name), (Branch of Service), Retired
—-—-—-(Address) How to Address a Nominee
—-—-Or if they are already the Honorable based on prior service:
—-—-—-The Honorable (Full Name)
—-—-—-(Address)
Robert Hickey author of “Honor & Respect”
—- #1) In the media such persons are often described as the (Office)-designate or (Office)-nominee. Those are descriptive terms, not titles to be used in direct address. Only once sworn in does anyone get an honorific to use with their name.
—- #2) They are not ‘-elect’. They weren’t elected. They are not ‘pro tempore / pro tem’. That refers to an official acting in the absence of the regular official … like the President Pro Tempore of the United States Senate acts for the President of the Senate when he or she is away.
—- #3) It’s my understanding the process is (A) designated, (B) nominated, (C) confirmed – then (D) appointed. With the appointment comes the swearing in. With the swearing in come the courtesies of the office. Elevated forms of address are courtesies of the office.
— Robert Hickey
Robert Hickey author of “Honor & Respect”
When Should You Use the Forms on this Page?
You can use these forms of address for any mode of communication: addressing a letter, invitation, card or Email. (If there are differences between the official and social forms of address, I will have mentioned the different forms.) The form noted in the salutation is the same form you say when you say their name in conversation or when you greet them.
___What I don’t cover on this site are many things I do cover in my book: all the rules of forms of address, about names, international titles, precedence, complimentary closes, details on invitations, place cards, all sorts of introductions, etc. I hope you’ll get a copy of the book if you’d like the further detail.
Not Finding Your Answer?
—-#1) At right on desktops, at the bottom of every page on tablets and phones, is a list of all the offices, officials & topics covered on the site.
—-#2) If you don’t see the official you seek included or your question answered send me an e-mail. I am pretty fast at sending a reply: usually the next day or so (unless I am traveling.) Note: I don’t have mailing or Email addresses for any of the officials and I don’t keep track of offices that exist only in history books.
—-#3) If I think your question is of interest to others, Sometimes I post the question – but always change all the specifics.
— Robert Hickey
Robert Hickey author of “Honor & Respect”
Recommended Resources: The Protocol School of Washington (PSOW) and Protocol and Diplomacy International – Protocol Officers Association (PDI-POA) For more information see the Protocol Resources page.