masonic lodge election procedure

", JW: "Fair (cloudy) in the South, Worshipful. <> endstream endobj startxref 8. Books Online] [E-Books] [Library Of >> /ExtGState << /Gs1 13 0 R >> /Font << /Tc1 10 0 R /TT2 9 0 R >> /XObject Brethren, I declare that you have <> In most of the same grand lodge jurisdictions, there is also a G painted, sculpted, or otherwise suspended in the symbolic East of the lodge room (typically over the Master's chair).. Only MMs vote. The organization must have another election. endobj In the vote for Secretary, unless he is retiring, At the Worshipful Master s order the Stewards distribute the ballots for the first position to be voted upon. It is important to remember that once someone is elected, the election can't be rescinded unless there is some provision for it in the bylaws. You take nominations from the floor for one office, and when no further nominations are forthcoming, you proceed to the balloting for that office. I used to post some of them here in a generic manner so all might learn from them. Cell phones, chewing gum, crinkly snack wrappers and other distractions should be disallowed during a fraternity election (except during breaks). Robert's Rules on elections are very straightforward after what is often a politically charged prequel of nominating and campaigning. Is it permissible to hold election of officers in an EA lodge? or opinion visiting brother take his place so that the tiler may cast his NOTE: This is only a suggested procedure. 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. 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. If you have only two candidates and the vote is a tie, you repeat the balloting until one candidate receives a majority. ojx&^ 64>"> |&`mkG l[o;5``ek l[;5zk Vhp 5Pq_t.Z1lhp3M \H{Tl nF$UkavOv1nT#-`mkp;m ~l 3ohG nF_..}$38~?g}z+O}?.]7?"kR7tFWo'E^ "EJ*F/'NPTAT,4)/ItJl8KgHC#unG &;iL-;G[_gC 6{-sMIa{vN_CwNeCE +]`7)$k,2? No officer of a Masonic lodge may take up his elected or appointed duties until formally installed to his office by proper authority. ___________, you have been elected to serve as ____________ of Also, military lodges in foreign countries, often perform business meetings on the EA degree. Business meetings are held on the EA degree in European lodge. rejection. Jewels of Masonic Secretary The Secretary's official duties include issuing the summons (a formal notice of an impending meeting, with time, date and agenda), recording meeting minutes, completing statistical returns to the Grand Lodge, and advising the Worshipful Master on matters of procedure. <> Nominations don't have to be seconded, but it's not out of order for members to second a nomination to signal their endorsement. The main advantage here is that it allows members to consider the election results of one office before proceeding to the election of another office. The election of lodge officers is an annual event, specified in the lodge bylaws. It is for informational purposes only and does not necessarily reflect the views Same in NM amd OR. ;J @*Ix~6ia 023X85i=%/v')^KkHaQaA {DCAH ' 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. Officers Duties and Responsibilities . JFIF C 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. According to Robert's Rules, a motion to close nominations is out of order as long as any member wishes to make a nomination. 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! This method gives voters an idea of the group's preferences without holding an actual election. If your assembly's members are accountable to a constituency, your rules may require you to conduct your elections by roll-call vote. Illegal votes cast by legal voters count toward the total votes cast, but they don't count for any individual choice or candidate. One vote against the petitioner generally rejects him. 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. This ceremony, revised in 2013 relies heavily on the work of the prolific Masonic author and commentator, Robert Macoy who first set it down in Illegal votes are, Two or more marked ballots folded together (together they count as only one illegal vote). However, it disadvantages candidates who lose an election for a position decided earlier and then can't serve a different position. Whatever nomination method you propose, be specific. For this reason, members should listen carefully to the report of the ballot counters' committee. Suddenly it's 3am. << /Length 5 0 R /Filter /FlateDecode >> If officers assume their duties immediately after the meeting is adjourned, it is then too late to question the election. endobj 292, elections may be held in a lodge opened in an EA as long as there is an EA attending. . It drives us back to basics, using the Masonic tools we already have in our tool belt. A late-arriving member can vote only with other members' consent by majority vote. No candidate whose application has He is ultimately responsible for every other lodge officer and their duties, every lodge committee, ritual and degree work, Masonic education, social functions, fundraisers, District and Grand Lodge liaison, Trestle Board communication, etc. 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. When three gavel knocks are given by the Master ALL in attendance in the lodge stands up. *(cM YiVo~r049>Kwz,8*#]qVLB`l:HM\7Gj#?#PV(F"y@f4 @hbe2q&8%RYcM`uU;ap10n Decision Making For Dummies. Customarily (although it's not required), the chair accomplishes this by calling three times for more nominations. The Master may approve a collective ballot if there The assembly then votes again on the other office. 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. By absolute demit, [ Chapter 76] 3. You must log in or register to reply here. Members then vote on a candidate to fill the remaining office. As Masons, we hone our skills to apply their use, improving ourselves daily. % The process of making floor nominations is subject to the following rules: Recognition by the chair is not required to make a nomination. takes up his place at the tilers door. Or, members can also finish the election at the next regular meeting if the meeting falls within a quarterly time period. 4[>56[Wbz ; ~D.Lf Y`S=#A.%* ^Ckk8a)W=Lt!z3 EHDG}S?#&,y$OAYNOQ kKl_B ? ", WM: "Fair (cloudy) in the South, clear (dark) in the A properly planned and executed meeting results in good participation. altar. 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. Some organizations add nominees to the ballot only if the name is submitted on a petition signed by some minimum number of members. 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. 3. collect the ballots, the Deacons approach the altar, pick up the hats, The "lex non scripta," or unwritten law of Freemasonry is derived from the traditions, usages and customs of . Freemasonry's Requirements for Membership. 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. 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. If electronic machines are used for voting, they should be programmed so that each segment of the ballot is treated as if it were a separate ballot. (1) A District Grand Lodge Fund shall be established for charitable and other Masonic purposes to which every Lodge in the District shall make in respect of each of its subscribing members annual contributions of $5000.00 or such lesser amount as the District Grand Lodge shall by resolution from time to time determine. 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. The most important thing associations or governments can do is appoint conscientious and honest people to serve on the ballot counters' committee and to watch the polls. of Freemasonry, nor webmaster nor those of any _____ cast their ballot?" Interestingly, some years ago, Virginia implemented a dues amnesty program. endobj stream A newly raised Master . Master. shall be immediately retaken, when, if a blackball again appears, the WM: "Brethren, you have heard read the A motion to close nominations is usually not necessary unless it is apparent that members are nominating people just to honor them, and that the nominees have no intention of serving. 4 0 obj The Lodge web page must not link to or be linked to by any website where a conflict . 6 0 obj ballot closed." These elections happen in the end of the year to elect the following years leadership team. Often the extra ballot comes from someone who has entered the assembly but has not signed in to the meeting. endobj place with the Senior and Junior Wardens alternating in calling the Jump to content The Official RONR Q & A Forums Register a free account today to become a member! 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. In balloting on a petition for affiliation, if one blackball MAKE SURE YOU READ YOUR GRAND LODGE CODE! Two top hats are placed on the kneeling pad at foot If members don't understand exactly how it works, the ones whose preferred candidate doesn't get voted on are likely to think something is amiss. Small technical errors, such as spelling mistakes or marking an X when a checkmark is called for, don't make a vote illegal as long as the voter's intent is discernible. JavaScript is disabled. 7 0 obj appears the ballot shall be immediately retaken, and if a blackball Maine Masonic Charitable Foundation. At this time the . 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. In Europe, it takes often a year, to advance per degree. 9 0 obj and the Master may oblige him to do so. time immemorial. mistake.". Usually the president closes nominations when no further nominations come forward from the assembly. The minutes may say, for example, "Eric Olson was elected to the board for two years. 6 0 obj Pause. <>/ExtGState<>/XObject<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 595.44 841.92] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> 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. 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. (After June 15, individual counties and cities could choose to continue their own meeting limitations, in which case those limitations would continue in force.) endobj 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. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. %`y`aSW2.9]!BBI endstream endobj 37 0 obj <>stream Clearwater Lodge No. elected. However, we open the Lodge on the 3rd then call to refreshment, invite everyome in, after the ceremony the WM closes without form. a portion or all of the petition(s) reread? endobj Lindale Masonic Lodge: 200 W. Margaret Street, Lindale, TX 75771 Main Location The HUB: 304 E. Ferguson Street, Tyler, TX 75702 Noonday Community Center: 16662 CR 196, Tyler, TX 75703 St.. Chapter 63 covers general voting and Chapter 68 covers the secret ballot. At the Worshipful Masters order the Stewards In a ballot vote, after the ballot counters have collected all the ballots, a member can make the motion to adjourn. After the period during which a recount can be conducted has passed, you don't need to keep the ballots. Masonry doesn't care about your worldly wealth or social position. %PDF-1.5 Like any incidental main motion, an election can be decided by voice vote or by ballot. An election is really nothing more than the handling of an assumed motion . <> Further, I don't think I have ever seen a Lodge election where there isn't some form of politics involved. unobserved by others, so that the secrecy of the ballot shall be The election process may be the easiest part of deciding who handles a particular job in the organization. A ballot shall be taken for the three degrees 10. 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. %PDF-1.5 [ 11 0 R] Lodge Election Procedures "Worshipful Master (WM) or Preceding Officer" 1. In Kentucky, the individual is normally sent a certified letter. [What is New] 1. I've never see a script or outline, but it should proceed as follows: That sounds like the CA required verbiage. << /ProcSet [ /PDF /Text /ImageB /ImageC /ImageI ] /ColorSpace << /Cs1 7 0 R Balloting for your acceptance into a Masonic lodge After the investigative committee reports to the lodge, your petition is voted on. 15 0 obj 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! endobj If a member notices a mistake in procedure, he or she should immediately make the chair and assembly aware of his concerns. stream 127. These could lead The Constitution is clear on the proper procedure <> other regular Masonic body other than those stated. the name on the ballot and the Secretary repeats the name and tallies The election process may be the easiest part of deciding who handles a particular job in the organization. [Feedback]. It's never proper to drop the candidates receiving the lowest vote totals from a ballot unless they withdraw voluntarily. It has its own identity and recognition and carries with it the title of "Past Master". However only Masters can vote. j]Ic[faPhgcP0U0.!boS/]9[[3+:;:+:Q1DX. BALLOTING PROCEDURE CHAPTER xv THE WORSHIPFUL MASTER'S HANDBOOK Grand Lodge, F.A.A.M. 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. 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. I guess that would depend on the jurisdiction. <>/ExtGState<>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 612 792] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> First, the Entered Apprentice Degree, second, the Fellow Craft Degree and finally, the Master Mason Degree. The committee must carefully review the eligibility requirements for each office and see that the nominees meet these requirements. position north of the altar. Rules may include how long the organization saves ballots and how long members can wait to challenge an election. Another problematic practice to watch out for is nominating someone for office who is not eligible. Masonic Etiquette Summary: Masonic etiquette is simply the rules of good manners which make lodge meetings pleasant for everyone. 5 0 obj WM: "You will present the ballot to the officers and 1 0 obj Books Online] [E-Books] [Library Of Our officer installations aren't held during a tiled meeting (although they could be); they are open ceremonies with guests. We can conduct lodge business in the EA degree in Minnesota, but only Master Masons can vote. 13 0 obj It varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Masonic etiquette decries anyone who does not obey the gavel. If a member votes for fewer choices than positions to be elected, the vote is legal and those votes count. again appears the petitioner shall be declared rejected, but he may at collectively, and in the case of one blackball appearing therein it $.' BALLOTING and LODGE ELECTIONS Excerpt from the Report of The Discipline Committee - Our 2014 Proceedings - Page 96: "The Committee also had its attention drawn to instances of irregular balloting procedures being of lodges.

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