masonic lodge election procedure

6. inviolably preserved. In a ballot vote, after the ballot counters have collected all the ballots, a member can make the motion to adjourn. The bylaws should not tie the hands of the committee to find more than one person to fill each slot; the committee should find the best candidate for each office. If polling is conducted outside of a meeting, members should verify their credentials with election officials when casting their votes at the polls, and members' names should be checked on a list showing who has voted. 2 0 obj Freemasonry (or Brother __________for affiliation)." These Masonic rituals represent three degrees which are taken in sequence. Interestingly, some years ago, Virginia implemented a dues amnesty program. In either case, you need to appoint reliable ballot counters to hand out and collect ballots and to count the votes. Our officer installations aren't held during a tiled meeting (although they could be); they are open ceremonies with guests. endstream Our officer installations aren't held during a tiled meeting (although they could be); they are open ceremonies with guests. Ballot counters should cast their ballots at the same time that the assembly votes. <> qQ^&FJ J } Motions to close nominations are usually unnecessary because the nomination process simply continues until no one wishes to make further nominations. The committee then has to find a new nominee, and the members have to vote again. Robert's Rules sets out several methods of making nominations for positions: An organization can nominate candidates in several ways: This method is used whenever the membership wants to rely on the presiding officer to recommend candidates but also wants to reserve for itself (or its designee, such as the board of directors) the approval of the nominee. 1. Lodge Trustees and Charity Foundation become available for you and published in the members only area of our web site so that you know how Grand Lodge and its organizations are spending your money and conducting their business. %PDF-1.5 All business is done in a MM lodge. stream MAKE SURE YOU READ YOUR GRAND LODGE CODE! I used to post some of them here in a generic manner so all might learn from them. Nominations are taken for successive offices in the order they're listed in the bylaws. If a member votes for fewer choices than positions to be elected, the vote is legal and those votes count. If your assembly's members are accountable to a constituency, your rules may require you to conduct your elections by roll-call vote. Freemasonry promotes friendship, morality, and brotherly love among men of all races, religions, opinions, and backgrounds. However, we open the Lodge on the 3rd then call to refreshment, invite everyome in, after the ceremony the WM closes without form. % When the nominations stop, the chair just declares nominations closed after making sure that no more nominations are forthcoming. Section 3. %PDF-1.7 % 7. - "The qualifications necessary are, that the candidate should be true and trusty, of good repute, held in high estimation amongst the fraternity, skilled in Masonic knowledge, and moreover a lover of the Craft; he . Secretary prepares ballots for each position to be may use different methods of electing officers. visiting brother take his place so that the tiler may cast his Customarily (although it's not required), the chair accomplishes this by calling three times for more nominations. 10. endstream Rules may include how long the organization saves ballots and how long members can wait to challenge an election. This saves time and allows for polling at a time and place other than a meeting. Brother Secretary conduct a roll call. of the District of Columbia Since it is the obligation of every brother of the Lodge to vote, the Master should invite the tiler in and have a visiting brother take his place so that the tiler may cast his vote. For the qualifications of candidates in order to join a Masonic Lodge in Texas there are a series of "Freemason requirements". salute with the Worshipful Master. These elections happen in the end of the year to elect the following years leadership team. If a marked ballot is folded together with a blank ballot, the marked ballot counts as one legal vote, and the blank ballot is considered scrap paper. hb```BVG ea8 P}+/m The Masonic Oath is hugely significant, as it is represents a Masons' integrity and is an example of their strong bond to all other brothers within the fraternity. One of the most important franchises which the Masonic character offers is THE ELECTION OF MASTER FOR THE ENSUING TWELVE MONTHS. xWMo1#[YO !T6T=D9Jhnwv5ofm4_0Vgu=_|[~jC5}YWyYWw45lv4~JS'AdQiewV?=few_Xu9pTX(*HYfh5Y2Q=[6(ao)\\O 9|b|+x Up % ZDEpV`,QI8.3mb'Vs5cAZ!X^S"W7FZ$%W8Fh,)Jrt $^JG{vxGVW9Z;-*r4b@fSM(o/ ?-vz}J=Pu&NC\H#^SKUvN)A@+a)eU"PvrNLsi;:~8J8 9 _____ cast their ballot?" Doing this may allow an unpopular or hand-picked candidate to get the office even though he or she was not elected. Masonry doesn't care about your worldly wealth or social position. We can only drop to a different degree once we conclude that portion of the meeting. If the motion is adopted, the assembly can adjourn before the vote is announced if it has another meeting scheduled. Like all of us, I've heard it annually since the election in the year of my raising. Some Lodges 'xzwQ38/4b|T}R-g|7uhw 4!"icE)S7AEo the South? AUTHORITY. 0 election of officers in April each year. In Europe, it takes often a year, to advance per degree. The Committee on Masonic Education and Information of . some brother of the Lodge other than the Secretary should tally and [ 11 0 R] %%EOF << /Length 5 0 R /Filter /FlateDecode >> once petition the same or any other Lodge in the jurisdiction. We can conduct lodge business in the EA degree in Minnesota, but only Master Masons can vote. He or she should present it to the assembly to decide what to do with the vote - whether to count it and toward what name to credit the vote. WM: "Brethren, you have heard read the In the vote for Secretary, unless he is retiring, 3 0 obj 1 0 obj majority of those voting being necessary for election, and the Worshipful <> [Feedback]. Can't interrupt a speaker who has the floor or a member making a nomination, Requires a majority vote (except the motion to close nominations, which requires a two-thirds vote), Can be reconsidered if it's a negative vote to reopen nominations. Business meetings are held on the EA degree in European lodge. <>/ExtGState<>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 612 792] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> 6 0 obj endobj The secretary places all nominations in the minutes. If your bylaws don't require you to conduct an election by ballot, and if candidates are unopposed or there's no major contest for an office, you can save time with a simple voice vote (or viva voce). Only one (1) official website per Lodge will be recognized by the Grand Lodge and linked to by the Grand Lodge of Georgia's website. A motion to open nominations, when made by a member, is usually a motion to reopen nominations after they have been closed. Taking nominations by mail is basically the same as taking nominations by ballot. [What is Freemasonry] [Leadership The presiding officer can continue presiding, even if he or she is one of the nominees for the office. F powered by Dr. Stefanus Hadi, Ph.D. visit www.FLIVE.com email: [email protected] follow Clubhouse: @stefanus send SMS Text to +1 213-749-8777 Los Angeles, California <> white ball elects; a black cube rejects. In Tennessee, the only time you open an EA or FC lodge is to confer those degrees. 7 0 obj endobj The committee should meet, carefully review the membership list, and select the people who they think will do the best job in each office. In Kentucky, the individual is normally sent a certified letter. If an elected candidate declines the office after he or she is elected and after the meeting has adjourned, another election needs to take place, if at all possible. % WB Christopher J. Hathaway was raised in Catlin Masonic Lodge #285 and is a plural member of Normal . 10 0 obj Are there any further nominations for president? At the Worshipful Masters order the Stewards Lodge No. (rap). endobj ;D[{cv,#(145:n') % Does any brother wish to have If it's determined that enough illegal votes were cast by illegal voters to affect the result, and these votes can't be identified and removed from the count, then the vote is deemed null and must be retaken. [What is New] Don't implement a new process to 450 lodges until it is . altar. Members should be alert to some undemocratic political practices in organizations. j]Ic[faPhgcP0U0.!boS/]9[[3+:;:+:Q1DX. <> Tradition holds that the Master of the lodge appoint a committee of three (usually Past Masters) to serve as a Tellers Committee. The Senior Deacon presents the ballot to each officer For this reason, members should listen carefully to the report of the ballot counters' committee. Whatever nomination method you propose, be specific. Club elections and officers are an integral part of the organization and must be conducted according to the group's bylaws and rules. Is it permissible to hold election of officers in an EA lodge? If officers assume their duties immediately after the meeting is adjourned, it is then too late to question the election. The Code has two primary chapters that describe the process of voting in subordinate lodges. The election process may be the easiest part of deciding who handles a particular job in the organization. "If so, I declare the 8. Because fraud does happen in the election process, members need to be alert and watchful of the election process. Master. . It is the duty of every member present to vote, 15 0 obj should be destroyed. JavaScript is disabled. His term expires July, 2014.". (The chair usually just announces the opening of nominations at the appointed time when they are in order. Every day , before I retired, I would receive a wide variety of questions and comments from Constituent Lodge Secretaries and other officers, many of which are quite applicable to other lodges. HWG l!$"' g]9=3>3U}Zo.wjyiQo?\>,:lFYE#q IBZ.rwi/A%f_N'_LDX A website endorsed by a Lodge will be considered the official Lodge website, and will be subject to these criteria and rules. These elections are to vote on new top lodge officers in the blue lodge. Adam is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in Pennsylvania and is employed as a Senior Manager of International Tax in Latrobe, PA. is more then one candidate for the degrees. %`y`aSW2.9]!BBI Talks] [Masonic It is possible that because of a mistake in counting the ballots, or another procedural mistake, someone can be declared elected to office when he or she did not receive the majority votes. The brother responds. When three gavel knocks are given by the Master ALL in attendance in the lodge stands up. Sometimes the committee is revived to make nominations to fill vacancies. ____ for the ensuing Masonic year. West and bright (black) in the East. A member may for indecorous or unmasonic conduct be excluded from a single meeting of the lodge. [What is Freemasonry] [Leadership Voting machines having wedges inserted to prevent the lever from going down all the way. At the end of each successful vote the ballots If the bylaws don't prohibit it, a person can be nominated for more than one office and can even serve in more than one office if elected. This requires secretaries (and possibly grand secretaries if different jurisdictions) to get involved, but is a somewhat common occurrence. The secretary should give the committee a copy of the membership list, the bylaws, a description of the duties of each office, and the eligibility requirements. Freemasonry's Requirements for Membership. According to Robert's Rules, a motion to close nominations is out of order as long as any member wishes to make a nomination. Each question on a multipart ballot is counted as a separate ballot. State which position is open for election or re-election, and invite members of the organization to come forward with their nominations for the position. The Worshipful Master orders the Wardens to take After the votes are counted, the lead ballot counter reads aloud to the membership the complete report of the vote counts but doesn't declare the result. Like any incidental main motion, an election can be decided by voice vote or by ballot. A poor meeting achieves the opposite results. Suggested Procedure For Electing Lodge Officers. endobj A properly planned and executed meeting results in good participation. If a member leaves one part blank, the votes entered on the other questions still count. After the person elected to office assumes the position, it is too late to nullify an illegal election. 4. <> If this occurs and it does not affect the outcome of the vote, the election is still valid. Register a free account today to become a member! 5. 11 0 obj If it is discovered after an election that the person elected does not meet the eligibility requirements, and even if the person has begun to serve, the election is void. Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox! For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. shall be immediately retaken, when, if a blackball again appears, the Masonic etiquette decries anyone who does not obey the gavel. APPOINTMENT. endobj 1. If the committee does its job well, the membership can enjoy some basic assurance that the candidates nominated have at least expressed interest in the job, have agreed to serve, and are qualified for the offices for which they're nominated. If the organization uses a nominating committee and then takes nominations from the floor, the secretary records the nominating committee's report first and then lists nominations for each office in the order they are presented as given by the members from the floor. It will take you step by step through the election process, help you to identify your responsibilities during each step, and provide suggestions to make your job easier. $.' [Feedback]. He serves as Chairman of the Trustees of Title to the Masonic Temple and other Real Estate of the Grand Lodge, is a Trustee of the Consolidated Fund and Trustee of the Masonic Charities Fund. The only way you can vote against a candidate is to vote for another person. Conducting an Election of Officers p. 25 Section III. Every lodge is incorporated and required to have corporate officers. When the secretary mails the members a notice about the nomination and election meeting, the letter can include a request that members who do not wish to be considered for office notify the secretary in writing. The laws which govern the institution of Freemasonry are of two kinds, unwritten and written, and may in a manner be compared with the "lex non scripta," or common law, and the "lex seripta," or statute law of English and American jurists. The conventions are over, election day draws near, and the usual round of political rhetoric from candidates is blasted all over the TV, radio and internet, voters begin to wear out and are usually just ready for Election Day to be over with. Illegal votes cast by legal voters count toward the total votes cast, but they don't count for any individual choice or candidate. Chairman of Nominating Committee: Madam President, the nominating committee submits the following nominations: for president, Alex Shaw; for vice president, Bianca Fernandez; for secretary, Raymond Platt; and for treasurer, Donna Agnese. A parade of misfortunes had culminated by forcing potato planter Fred Jensen to stop his cross-country dash 85 miles short of his destination. elected (rejected) Mister ___________ for the degrees of Your organization needs officers, maybe committee members, and other positions decided by a vote of the membership. Freemasons meet in a temple, which they call a "lodge", as that is where ancient stonemasons met when working on a church or cathedral Lodges are grouped by region, roughly in line with the old. If no candidate is found, the committee can leave that slot open for nominations from the floor. Nomination by petition is another method of nomination by mail; provisions must be made for it in the bylaws, and standard forms must be provided to candidates and electors upon request. endobj Here is how: You must first find a Masonic lodge location near you, contact them, and ask for a petition to join. Sometimes called open nominations, this method is probably the most familiar. Or, they can tell members publicly that they do not have a nominee for a certain office; this allows members to volunteer. <> Two top hats are placed on the kneeling pad at foot of altar. My Freemasonry | Freemason Information and Discussion Forum. 587 Two top hats are placed on the kneeling pad at foot Westside Toastmasters is located in Los Angeles and Santa Monica, California. %%EOF When presenting the nominations or taking the vote for a list of offices, the president should follow the order of offices that appears in the bylaws. This method is applicable when, Appointing members to committees, if specified in the motion creating the committee, or if prescribed in the bylaws, Electing a presiding officer in a mass meeting. Sent from my LG-H811 using My Freemasonry Pro mobile app. When the secretary prepares the eligibility list for the meeting, only those members who are willing to serve are on the list. 1. again appears the petitioner shall be declared rejected, but he may at Officers Duties and Responsibilities . endobj other regular Masonic body other than those stated. Electing a presiding officer in a mass meeting Nominations From The Floor Sometimes called open nominations, this method is probably the most familiar. WM: "You will present the ballot to the officers and Some practices to watch out for include: Ballot boxes being stuffed or written ballots being changed. If you had to move before you finished receiving the three degrees of the blue lodge, you'd need lodge B to perform courtesy work. Because this form of voting favors one candidate over another based on the order of nomination, you should avoid using it except in mass meetings or when there's no serious contest for the office and a ballot is not required. endobj Do you 1. Crossing the G. In most grand lodge jurisdictions, rituals call for an altar to be placed in the center of the lodge room holding the respective Volume of Sacred Law. These could lead The Constitution is clear on the proper procedure Development] [Education] [Masonic The appointive officers of the Grand Lodge, save the Deputy Grand Secretary, shall be We can only drop to a different degree once we conclude that portion of the meeting. Some Lodges have their bills paid automatically each month electronically, such as for utilities and telephones for example. <> vote. )GT?=Sk8&o9sU|$gv}~3H'>}3DReeZCZ2HN7.WadE-lUG|1pU]d. States or elsewhere. 0 An election is really nothing more than the handling of an assumed motion, with the question being on whom to elect to fill a position. Nominations are now open from the floor. (or for affiliation) which has received a unanimously favorable Persons serving on the committee can be nominated for office. The organization must have another election. Masters are required to see that the ballot box is TURNING YOUR BACK: Never turn one's back on the Master to address the lodge without first-receiving permission Enter your official identification and contact details. Nominations don't have to be seconded, but it's not out of order for members to second a nomination to signal their endorsement. and the Master may oblige him to do so. endobj 1. A member can't make the motion to adjourn while the assembly is occupied with taking a vote, verifying a vote, or announcing a vote, except when the vote is by ballot. During an election, especially when ballot counters are not trained or when candidates are running in opposition, members may become aware of mistakes or illegal procedures in collecting or counting the ballots.

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