In the vote for Secretary, unless he is retiring, It is the duty of every member present to vote, These elections are to vote on new top lodge officers in the blue lodge. {V++6o <>`ulr<>[lLDdTVVQ4Mt{<1iz;E Some Lodges <> You must log in or register to reply here. Are there any further nominations for president? Some Lodges have their bills paid automatically each month electronically, such as for utilities and telephones for example. By signing a petition for the formation of a new lodge, [ Chapter 39] 2. Suddenly it's 3am. Robert's Rules on elections are very straightforward after what is often a politically charged prequel of nominating and campaigning. (rap). Register a free account today to become a member! stream it to the Master who inspects the ballot box making sure that the You simply say, "Mr. Chairman, I move that the chair appoint a committee of three to consider and make recommendations on the replacement of Mr. Exeter, who has resigned as chairman of the membership committee." %PDF-1.5 % Rules may include how long the organization saves ballots and how long members can wait to challenge an election. Westside Toastmasters is located in Los Angeles and Santa Monica, California. ___________, you have been elected to serve as ____________ of This method gives voters an idea of the group's preferences without holding an actual election. 98% sure that it is. 292, elections may be held in a lodge opened in an EA as long as there is an EA attending. After the brethren have cast their ballots. The election process may be the easiest part of deciding who handles a particular job in the organization. The Worshipful Master orders the Wardens to take Nominations for each office are followed by the election for that office. After nominations are closed, the vote is taken on each nominee in the order in which they were nominated. stream Ask for nominations for an officer position. 1. If a member is not present to choose which office he or she wants to serve, the members vote on which office they want him or her to serve. I've never performed or even practiced the role before, though via "osmosis," should be able to piece it together to at least a minimally functional level. Suggested Procedure For Electing Lodge Officers. 2. The "lex non scripta," or unwritten law of Freemasonry is derived from the traditions, usages and customs of . Join a brotherhood of over 2,000,000 men of all ages, from all races, religions, and countries, and from all walks of life. xU]o@|_cZR%q"b$*/}E(k nK6hb'_ D(|}5Dsq PBY%_'Dru.{,dW9PeOw9 d6!=#3r/iby+4C~9^-GT.d 54 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[]/Index[33 34]/Info 32 0 R/Length 100/Prev 87331/Root 34 0 R/Size 67/Type/XRef/W[1 2 1]>>stream *(cM YiVo~r049>Kwz,8*#]qVLB`l:HM\7Gj#?#PV(F"y@f4 @hbe2q&8%RYcM`uU;ap10n One of the most important franchises which the Masonic character offers is THE ELECTION OF MASTER FOR THE ENSUING TWELVE MONTHS. majority of those voting being necessary for election, and the Worshipful hmo@W}w*JGEa]/p o?_%au/$"p@ZPI 6AKFQt$8g!AHG[v;~&Wwu~|1xX21`9-Yd]%dsXQNxm -$we/mc5qrq:a/}4Y#A6,UX"{,S(JCs4l>nl,~nn%M&bt_zFPVJ_**#lU6uZe]Y[;M 6tvM{7W/225[n_SOmGP_4U_rH1v %m" &"`hh&q'I%D-rI$\\OScmalRCiPh_Th 7AN.RR9ou|r:9>NpT~XI|{&]MJ )FvJlC{hDRDT "DJc+^zrPl c[ 10. 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. The Senior Deacon presents the ballot for examination charge of the Ballot and they pick up the hats, take them to the 13 0 obj It is considered a faux pas to cross . A decision on how long to keep them can be made at the meeting when the vote takes place, or a short retention period for ballots can be adopted as a standing rule. Sometimes called open nominations, this method is probably the most familiar. One vote against the petitioner generally rejects him. When the next meeting begins, the first order of business is to hear the report of the balloting committee and for the presiding officer to announce the vote that was taken at the previous meeting. Magazines Online] 6 0 obj Brother Secretary conduct a roll call. The appointive officers of the Grand Lodge, save the Deputy Grand Secretary, shall be will advance to the altar and cast their ballot. Talks] [Masonic 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. 3 0 obj the name on the ballot and the Secretary repeats the name and tallies If a member notices a mistake in procedure, he or she should immediately make the chair and assembly aware of his concerns. 1. Collectively, these motions are known as motions related to nominations. 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. Development] [Education] [Masonic <> The secretary places all nominations in the minutes. Master. Polls closing or opening at times different than the times posted. << /Im1 11 0 R >> >> These Masonic rituals represent three degrees which are taken in sequence. ;D[{cv,#(145:n') endobj The election of lodge officers is an annual event, specified in the lodge bylaws. Illegal votes cast by legal voters count toward the total votes cast, but they don't count for any individual choice or candidate. Past Masters have a standing in Masonic Law; certain duties may be assigned to them. If a member votes for more choices than positions to be elected, the vote is considered illegal. Sometimes the committee is revived to make nominations to fill vacancies. If a member leaves one part blank, the votes entered on the other questions still count. /Rotate 0 >> The Worshipful Master What it all means: A Worshipful Master simply depicts a deity or one in authority who is held in honor and considered as an honorable man. This site is not an official site of any recognized Masonic body in the United When two gavel knocks are heard, only officers of the lodge stand. Ballot voting is by far the surest way to allow for the free expression of the will of the membership. Two top hats are placed on the kneeling pad at foot of altar. In most cases, the threshold is a majority of the votes cast. <> Achieve this by asking them to hang out with you. other regular Masonic body other than those stated. of Freemasonry, nor webmaster nor those of any Your organization needs officers, maybe committee members, and other positions decided by a vote of the membership. 7 0 obj Usually the president closes nominations when no further nominations come forward from the assembly. 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. A member may for indecorous or unmasonic conduct be excluded from a single meeting of the lodge. Blogs] [Links] If the ballot vote decides an election, you're instructed to write the name of the nominee of your choice on your ballot. endobj You follow the same procedures for elections by ballot, as far as arriving at the point of the election is concerned, but instead of casting your vote by ballot, each member announces his vote when the secretary calls that person's name. 234 0 obj <> endobj After the period during which a recount can be conducted has passed, you don't need to keep the ballots. of Freemasonry, nor webmaster nor those of any 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. The Master may approve a collective ballot if there If something doesn't quite add up, a member should question it during the meeting. 1. 3 0 obj the Lodge over all Masons, affiliated and unaffiliated, that live and reside within the territory from which the Lodge may receive petitions for the Degrees; and, (b) personal jurisdiction, which means the power of the Lodge over its own members wherever they may reside and ceases only when the Brother ceases to be a member of the Lodge. elected (rejected) Mister ___________ for the degrees of endobj A Lodge member who has held the highest office in the Lodge has for life a Masonic position of his own. white ball elects; a black cube rejects. ____________ Lodge No. endobj The person who gets the most votes may not have a majority of the votes. and the Past Masters around the Lodge and places the ballot box on the We can only drop to a different degree once we conclude that portion of the meeting. ballot drawer is empty and that there are both white balls and black hb```BVG ea8 P}+/m The requirement for election by ballot is a majority, and a candidate has no obligation to withdraw just because he polls low numbers. After the committee reports, the chair states: President: The nominating committee nominates Alex Shaw for president, Bianca Fernandez for vice president, Raymond Platt for secretary, and Donna Agnese for treasurer. From his home in Pocatello, Idaho, across almost 3000 miles of highway, Fred's car had given trouble, and now, at Henniker, N.H., the cooling system finally gave up. Freemasonry, the teachings and practices of the fraternal (men-only) order of Free and Accepted Masons, the largest worldwide secret societyan oath-bound society, often devoted to fellowship, moral discipline, and mutual assistance, that conceals at least some of its rituals, customs, or activities from the public (secret societies do not MAKE SURE YOU READ YOUR GRAND LODGE CODE! These elections happen in the end of the year to elect the following years leadership team. The advanced tools of the editor will guide you through the editable PDF template. endobj 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. Only MMs vote. %`y`aSW2.9]!BBI Persons serving on the committee can be nominated for office. This saves time and allows for polling at a time and place other than a meeting. RESOLVED, that the Handbook of Masonic Law, Digest of Edicts, sec- Authors of Resolution: Bros. John F. tion on Perpetual Membership, pages Knox, Jr., P.M., W.H. visiting brother take his place so that the tiler may cast his distinctive apron has been designated by the Grand Lodge is present at a Masonic meeting or communication, he may wear the apron so designated. Lodge elections are performed via a Masonic Ballot Box. It is for informational purposes only and does not necessarily reflect the views 3. Sometimes nominations aren't taken until the election is pending, and sometimes they're taken at other times, such as at a meeting before the election meeting. I /8ZzeL%kxF~/a&MBkd/cK"zBARqG(/%:}4Q;l@)R^M,s;p Rx P~DV(GR,&Gj;v}yh/5F3ibD,eZJ Mail or absentee ballots not arriving on time or mysteriously disappearing when the time comes to count them. <> 6. Grand Lodge Committee on Masonic Education: CHAPTER 31: Lodge Service Commission: CHAPTER 32: . It varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Some practices to watch out for include: Ballot boxes being stuffed or written ballots being changed. This example is based on moving to have nominations by committee, but the form is essentially the same for any of the methods. of altar. distribute the ballots for the first position to be voted upon. Any blue lodge that does not hold annual election of officers is considered irregular by most Grand Lodges. It may not display this or other websites correctly. elected. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. No officer of a Masonic lodge may take up his elected or appointed duties until formally installed to his office by proper authority. If a person has been nominated to more than one office and is elected to two offices, he or she can choose which office he or she wants. Here is how: You must first find a Masonic lodge location near you, contact them, and ask for a petition to join. Depending on the Grand Lodge, this can be anywhere from 18 to 25. 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). All business is done in a MM lodge. 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. inviolably preserved. Masonic Lodge Officer Duties For Their Term in Office: 1 Year Appointed Lodge Officer Positions: The other officers, which include the Senior Deacon, Junior Deacon, Senior Steward, Junior Steward, Marshal, Tiler and Chaplain are appointed positions by the Worshipful Master. If they don't set a time for an adjourned meeting, they can call a special meeting (if the bylaws allow this). The Antimasonic party, whose avowed goal was the destruction of the Masonic Lodge and other secret societies, was the first influential third party in the United States and introduced the. Decision Making For Dummies. When holding ballot elections, you have two procedural options: Nominations for all offices conclude before any balloting begins. %PDF-1.5 Nominations don't have to be seconded, but it's not out of order for members to second a nomination to signal their endorsement. If the bylaws specifically address this situation, members should follow the bylaws. It varies! 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. The Code has two primary chapters that describe the process of voting in subordinate lodges. 2. Tradition holds that the Master of the lodge appoint a committee of three (usually Past Masters) to serve as a Tellers Committee. If members are voting for offices that have staggered terms or that last more than a year, the secretary should include in the minutes when the term expires. It's never proper to drop the candidates receiving the lowest vote totals from a ballot unless they withdraw voluntarily. Blogs] [Links] [Feedback]. Nominations are now open from the floor. Apply a check mark to indicate the choice wherever . My Freemasonry | Freemason Information and Discussion Forum. vote. Take security measures to protect the privacy of the nominating ballot; each member is instructed to fold his or her ballot inside a signed envelope and mail it back in an outer envelope. If a minority of the committee wishes to nominate someone else, the members in the minority can make the nomination when nominations are taken from the floor. The secretary repeats the vote after recording it, to ensure accuracy. endobj West and bright (black) in the East. The Trustees of the Charitable Foundation have authorized the "build out" of the Grand Lodge Library into the space formerly the drive through banking area. <> ", SW: "Clear (dark) in the West, Worshipful. A parade of misfortunes had culminated by forcing potato planter Fred Jensen to stop his cross-country dash 85 miles short of his destination. $.' masonic lodge election procedure; shkolla viktor hygo logo October 28, 2021. masonic lodge election procedure . and the Master may oblige him to do so. >> /ExtGState << /Gs1 13 0 R >> /Font << /Tc1 10 0 R /TT2 9 0 R >> /XObject WM: "Brethren, you have heard read the 16 0 obj 3. Can't interrupt a speaker who has the floor or a member making a nomination, Requires a majority vote (except the motion to close nominations, which requires a two-thirds vote), Can be reconsidered if it's a negative vote to reopen nominations. "30*5gDcJuk.w^m=12Ua&0cE'|H%KV L%|c]c0l;v=[, Cj+M 38xHDL\. To which Blaise replies "Yeah, 200 bucks is pretty steep.". Freemasonry (or Brother __________for affiliation)." Whenever you need to specify a way to come up with nominees, as you probably will for situations your bylaws don't cover, you use a motion related to the method of nominations. Voting machines having wedges inserted to prevent the lever from going down all the way. After the person elected to office assumes the position, it is too late to nullify an illegal election. endobj By transfer of membership, maintaining continuous membership, and 4. If members question the validity of an election or the procedure in taking the vote, a member should make a motion to recount the votes within a reasonably brief time after the president announces the election outcome. However, it disadvantages candidates who lose an election for a position decided earlier and then can't serve a different position. His term expires July, 2014.". applicant shall be declared rejected. Fund raising is underway. yy MWY*^K$@48SyFHv! 4 0 obj States or elsewhere. 8 0 obj JavaScript is disabled. A member has the right to vote until the polls are closed. ;J @*Ix~6ia 023X85i=%/v')^KkHaQaA {DCAH ' 0 mistake.". In determining how long to hold the ballots before destroying them, your main consideration is the possibility of needing a recount. 14 0 R /BitsPerComponent 8 /Filter /FlateDecode >> While the . endobj collectively, and in the case of one blackball appearing therein it It may not display this or other websites correctly. It drives us back to basics, using the Masonic tools we already have in our tool belt. As each nomination is received (assuming multiple candidates), ask each nominee "If elected, are you willing to serve?" endobj 2 0 obj Start on time, prepare and follow an agenda, be decisive and impartial, abide by the Constitution and By-laws of your lodge, the rules of order, and finally, always end on time. 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. 0 endstream endobj startxref If a member is elected and not present and has not previously said that if elected he or she will serve, someone should call the member to see if he or she will accept the office. The position of Worshipful Master in the East occupies the most exalted position within the lodge. If the lodge is not able to contact the individual after a reasonable period of time, the non-paying Mason is dropped (suspended). It's never in order to vote Yes or No (or For or Against) a candidate when electing persons to office. unobserved by others, so that the secrecy of the ballot shall be [What is Freemasonry] [Leadership Using a nominating committee to assemble a list of willing and qualified candidates for office can greatly benefit members when the time comes to select their leaders. (After June 15, individual counties and cities could choose to continue their own meeting limitations, in which case those limitations would continue in force.) The committee must carefully review the eligibility requirements for each office and see that the nominees meet these requirements. A website endorsed by a Lodge will be considered the official Lodge website, and will be subject to these criteria and rules. When the nominations stop, the chair just declares nominations closed after making sure that no more nominations are forthcoming. - "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 . Here are some other things to consider during the election process: A quorum needs to be present throughout the election meeting. For every expense, large or small, the Secretary is to write a voucher which is to be countersigned by the Worshipful Master and passed on to the Treasurer for payment. 1. Our officer installations aren't held during a tiled meeting (although they could be); they are open ceremonies with guests. Masonry doesn't care about your worldly wealth or social position. As soon as the committee reports, it is discharged from its duties. 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. It has its own identity and recognition and carries with it the title of "Past Master". . Masonic Lodge Election Procedure HB89 - Tightens the time frames for issuance of firearms licenses by probate judges. AUTHORITY. %%EOF endobj << /Length 5 0 R /Filter /FlateDecode >> Often the extra ballot comes from someone who has entered the assembly but has not signed in to the meeting. The committee then has to find a new nominee, and the members have to vote again. For the qualifications of candidates in order to join a Masonic Lodge in Texas there are a series of "Freemason requirements". The best thing an organization can do is adopt rules that tell how to proceed if a member challenges an election or if a person is illegally elected to office and has begun to serve. The ballots are tallied very much like an election ballot, and the report becomes the list of nominees for each office. HWG l!$"' g]9=3>3U}Zo.wjyiQo?\>,:lFYE#q IBZ.rwi/A%f_N'_LDX 4. When the secretary prepares the eligibility list for the meeting, only those members who are willing to serve are on the list. Election of Master and Treasurer 36 Exclusion under Rule 181 Procedures to be carried out 31,32 Files To be kept 5 Foreword 2 Forms Grand Lodge 5 Grand Rank Procedure 33 Hall Stone Jewel When it can be worn 18 Honorary Membership Disabilities, Election, Status 13 Installation Night Toast 19 Leaflets Information 5 When three gavel knocks are given by the Master ALL in attendance in the lodge stands up. Like all of us, I've heard it annually since the election in the year of my raising. Join us as we strive to make good men better by teaching universal values through the use of geometry and architecture metaphors. The only way you can vote against a candidate is to vote for another person. appears the ballot shall be immediately retaken, and if a blackball * (rap once). A poor meeting achieves the opposite results. Masonic Lodges, Masonic Organizations, and Youth Orders may conduct in-person meetings and events in compliance with county and city restrictions, if any. 2. _____ stream <>/ExtGState<>/XObject<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 595.44 841.92] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> As Masons, we hone our skills to apply their use, improving ourselves daily. time immemorial. States or elsewhere. This may be done by the Master, under a provision of the bye-laws giving him the authority, or on his own responsibility, in which case he is amenable to the Grand Lodge for the correctness of his decision. places. Is it permissible to hold election of officers in an EA lodge? salute with the Worshipful Master. 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. If there is a question about the way a ballot is marked, the ballot counters should take it to the presiding officer. 9. TURNING YOUR BACK: Never turn one's back on the Master to address the lodge without first-receiving permission %PDF-1.7 % To help with the Masonic experience at Lodge meetings, you were allowed to open on any degree, and use the Chamber The only exceptions are: (1) a newly instituted lodge, (2) one that has received written approval from the General Governor, based upon membership action, or (3) an emergency situation requiring the election to be changed or waived. If members adjourn before an election is complete, they should set the time for an adjourned meeting to finish the election. 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. A member can rise and decline the nomination during the nominating process. 1 0 obj Ie!W2UP7MEdq-2Y+(jVW`Y, z?D;tr>[iqqF7!FR$uh?%b stream In writing the nomination, election, and vacancy conditions in the bylaws, the organization should make sure that if a vacancy is created early in the term of office, the vacancy is filled by election instead of by appointment, whenever possible. Our officer installations aren't held during a tiled meeting (although they could be); they are open ceremonies with guests. ", WM: "How in the West, Brother Senior Warden? At the Worshipful Master s order the Stewards distribute the ballots for the first position to be voted upon. Lodge Election Procedures "Worshipful Master (WM) or Preceding Officer" 1. Another problematic practice to watch out for is nominating someone for office who is not eligible. 4 0 obj If anyone is elected, and it is discovered after the election that the person is not eligible, the election of that officer is null and void. Taking nominations by mail is basically the same as taking nominations by ballot. 2 0 obj <>>> Marshal takes up his place at the West Gate and the Junior Deacon However, calling nominations from your seat is often impractical, so you may want to adopt a more formal nomination process. 7. If lodge functions go smoothly, it is the Master who takes the credit. Yes, every year Masonic Lodges do have elections. A late-arriving member can vote only with other members' consent by majority vote. The Grand Lodge was founded shortly after George I, the first Hanoverian king of the Kingdom of Great Britain, ascended to the throne on 1 August 1714 and the end of the first Jacobite rising of 1715.. Officially, the Grand Lodge of England was founded in London on St. John the Baptist's day, 24 June 1717, when four existing Lodges gathered at the Goose and Gridiron Ale-house in St. Paul's . If the motion is adopted, the assembly can adjourn before the vote is announced if it has another meeting scheduled. The duty of a nominating committee is to find the best candidate for each office. [ 11 0 R] election of officers in April each year. If members leave during the meeting so that a quorum is not present, those offices not yet elected must be put off until an adjourned meeting or until the next meeting. However, in some national organizations that meet yearly or biennially (every two years), this is difficult. 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. If you have a nominating committee in place, ask this group to declare their nominee for a specific officer role. 8. Ballot voting is the preferred voting method in situations in which knowing how all the members voted isn't desirable. No one should be nominated without his or her consent because, if elected, the person may decline to serve and members will have to hold another election. If you have only two candidates and the vote is a tie, you repeat the balloting until one candidate receives a majority. For this reason, members should listen carefully to the report of the ballot counters' committee. 587 JFIF C F powered by Dr. Stefanus Hadi, Ph.D. visit www.FLIVE.com email: club@flive.com follow Clubhouse: @stefanus send SMS Text to +1 213-749-8777 Los Angeles, California
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