How do you determine who has the Speaker Token when you first start the game? All the rules say is, "At the beginning of every Strategy Phase, the player who controls the Speaker Token (the "Speaker") may choose the first Strategy Card from the common play area." Nothing else in the rulebook tells you how or who gets the Speaker Token in the first place! We've decided to roll a D10 for each player and whoever gets the highest number gets the Speaker Token at the start of the game. Is this how you are supposed to do it?

I just played it with my roommate and a few others for the first time on new years. However, my roommate, who owns the game, told us that when someone pulls the election card, they can decide to hold an election for speaker before choosing for a policy vote. I'd assume I wasn't lied to and that's the rule. 

Though, mebbe someone can clarify if I'm grossly off base.

It is random, the firsst player gets it:

TI3 Rules, p8:

Then randomly determine

one player to be “first player.“ Give the

“Speaker“ Token to the first player. He then shuffles

the remaining 32 systems

Totally misread the question. My bad. My roommate's version of 'random' for speaker was whoever arrived first. Kind of encouraged people to show up on time. But yea. 'Random.'

venerablemonster said:

Thats actually a cool concept… we usually play at my house so I would always be the speaker. Huzzah!

We choose the speaker buy throwing the dice and who throws higher number is the speaker, in case of  tie those players roll again

We take a vote on who brought the most desired food/beverage to share (can't vote for yourself). Makes folks go out of their way to bring interesting things.