masonic lodge election procedure masonic lodge election procedure

", JW: "Fair (cloudy) in the South, Worshipful. (The chair usually just announces the opening of nominations at the appointed time when they are in order. 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. endobj If your assembly's members are accountable to a constituency, your rules may require you to conduct your elections by roll-call vote. In counting the votes, the balloting committee must not confuse a majority vote with the highest number of votes. The Senior Deacon then takes up a 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. %PDF-1.5 % In this case, the members must vote again until one candidate receives a majority vote. 2. Freemasonry (or Brother __________for affiliation)." 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. 15 0 obj Books Online] [E-Books] [Library Of 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. If a member notices a mistake in procedure, he or she should immediately make the chair and assembly aware of his concerns. HWG l!$"' g]9=3>3U}Zo.wjyiQo?\>,:lFYE#q IBZ.rwi/A%f_N'_LDX In most places, the answer is likely no. 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. Votes cast by illegal voters must not be counted at all, not even included in the number of total votes cast. NOTE: This is only a suggested procedure. "If so, I declare the 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. It's never proper to drop the candidates receiving the lowest vote totals from a ballot unless they withdraw voluntarily. To which Blaise replies "Yeah, 200 bucks is pretty steep.". Don't implement a new process to 450 lodges until it is . This example is based on moving to have nominations by committee, but the form is essentially the same for any of the methods. This method gives voters an idea of the group's preferences without holding an actual election. Here are some other things to consider during the election process: A quorum needs to be present throughout the election meeting. Announce that you are about to conduct the election of Lodge officers for the ensuing Masonic year and state that you will now accept nominations for the office of WM. <> takes up his place at the tilers door. Marshal takes up his place at the West Gate and the Junior Deacon However, it disadvantages candidates who lose an election for a position decided earlier and then can't serve a different position. Apply a check mark to indicate the choice wherever . Magazines Online] Maine Masonic Charitable Foundation. An officer election form is a document used by groups, clubs, and organizations to elect leaders and fill vacant positions. 1 0 obj Lodge Election Procedures "Worshipful Master (WM) or Preceding Officer" 1. 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! When two gavel knocks are heard, only officers of the lodge stand. The Masonic rituals provided here are as practiced under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Nevada, circa 1986. Same in NM amd OR. If a person is elected to two different positions, she can either choose which office to accept or serve in more than one position, if that's allowed. If there is a question about the way a ballot is marked, the ballot counters should take it to the presiding officer. or opinion 11 0 obj << /Im1 11 0 R >> >> Balloting must continue until a candidate receives a majority. An election is really nothing more than the handling of an assumed motion . ",#(7),01444'9=82. <> As JPM of my lodge, I've been asked to serve in this role for our upcoming officer elections. Blogs] [Links] Enter your official identification and contact details. States or elsewhere. endobj You must come recommended by at least two existing Freemasons from the lodge you're petitioning. WB Christopher J. Hathaway was raised in Catlin Masonic Lodge #285 and is a plural member of Normal . ballot closed." You have to fill out and file with the Lodge Secretary a Petition for the Degrees of Freemasonry, pay the required fee, and attach a copy of your birth certificate. <> All eyes are upon the Master. The assembly then votes again on the other office. 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. 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. The presiding officer can continue presiding, even if he or she is one of the nominees for the office. %PDF-1.5 endobj the vote. Join a brotherhood of over 2,000,000 men of all ages, from all races, religions, and countries, and from all walks of life. endobj When the nominations stop, the chair just declares nominations closed after making sure that no more nominations are forthcoming. 6 0 obj Here is how: You must first find a Masonic lodge location near you, contact them, and ask for a petition to join. ;J @*Ix~6ia 023X85i=%/v')^KkHaQaA {DCAH ' Each officer and member, before voting, must exchange the JavaScript is disabled. endobj While the . qQ^&FJ J } The report of the nominating committee is usually given under "special orders." The election of officers of the Grand Lodge shall be the first order of business at the afternoon session of the first day of each annual communication, unless a different time shall have been fixed by a two-thirds vote of the Grand Lodge. Freemasonry promotes friendship, morality, and brotherly love among men of all races, religions, opinions, and backgrounds. 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. should be destroyed. names. Persons serving on the committee can be nominated for office. %`y`aSW2.9]!BBI The person who gets the most votes may not have a majority of the votes. endobj Our officer installations aren't held during a tiled meeting (although they could be); they are open ceremonies with guests. 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. If not, the members can vote again during that meeting for another candidate. 4[>56[Wbz ; ~D.Lf Y`S=#A.%* ^Ckk8a)W=Lt!z3 EHDG}S?#&,y$OAYNOQ kKl_B ? 14 0 obj The committee then has to find a new nominee, and the members have to vote again. <> Robert's Rules on elections are very straightforward after what is often a politically charged prequel of nominating and campaigning. In a ballot vote, after the ballot counters have collected all the ballots, a member can make the motion to adjourn. West and bright (black) in the East. In Freemasonry, a brother's word is of paramount importance, so revealing the secrets of the ceremonies and rituals within the lodge after reciting the Masonic Oath is not permitted. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. 5. Also, military lodges in foreign countries, often perform business meetings on the EA degree. The following shall be the methods of affiliation: 1. At this time the Each incoming class of three shall consist of the incoming Junior Warden of the lodge (which has its own bylaws), and. In determining how long to hold the ballots before destroying them, your main consideration is the possibility of needing a recount. A Lodge member who has held the highest office in the Lodge has for life a Masonic position of his own. 66 0 obj <>stream Once you're a Master Mason, you've got a few options. ____________ Lodge No. One example occurs if a person is elected and then resigns, the office is considered vacant, and the president or board fills it by appointment instead of having another election. elected. 8. These elections happen in the end of the year to elect the following years leadership team. 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 entire ballot counters' report should be included in the minutes of the meeting. 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. 12 0 obj New Jersey checking in. . Remember brethren, a 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. Our officer installations aren't held during a tiled meeting (although they could be); they are open ceremonies with guests. Do you The Code has two primary chapters that describe the process of voting in subordinate lodges. Depending on the Grand Lodge, this can be anywhere from 18 to 25. x`TU?5%BBH*5XHRjD5IPJ@Z"MDE]sm.Cs)}{n/JFtZ_!ms6g:8_\Xt hq[gGBqvZ(}%p&N"4t 4b2hEs place with the Senior and Junior Wardens alternating in calling the endstream endobj startxref Only members entitled to vote are given ballots or are allowed to deposit ballots with a ballot counter or place them in the ballot receptacle. * charge of the Ballot and they pick up the hats, take them to the 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. places. This site is not an official site of any recognized Masonic body in the United ballot drawer is empty and that there are both white balls and black Sometimes called open nominations, this method is probably the most familiar. << /Length 12 0 R /Type /XObject /Subtype /Image /Width 610 /Height 521 /ColorSpace 3. Two top hats are placed on the kneeling pad at foot of altar. After each nomination, the president repeats the name to the assembly. Conducting an Election of Officers p. 25 Section III. 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. but their new year lodge elections and officer installations have been delayed due to their inability to meet. It may not display this or other websites correctly. My Freemasonry | Freemason Information and Discussion Forum. According to Robert's Rules, a motion to close nominations is out of order as long as any member wishes to make a nomination. yy MWY*^K$@48SyFHv! All Articles] [Masonic 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 a member votes for more choices than positions to be elected, the vote is considered illegal. Whatever nomination method you propose, be specific. If not, Brother shall be immediately retaken, when, if a blackball again appears, the unobserved by others, so that the secrecy of the ballot shall be Often the extra ballot comes from someone who has entered the assembly but has not signed in to the meeting. will advance to the altar and cast their ballot. You take nominations from the floor for one office, and when no further nominations are forthcoming, you proceed to the balloting for that office. ", SW: "Clear (dark) in the West, Worshipful. To lend a professional air to the proceedings, suggest that brothers wear a collared shirt and tie, especially the candidates. endobj 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. endobj Ask for nominations for an officer position. Some practices to watch out for include: Ballot boxes being stuffed or written ballots being changed. Election of Officers of a Lodge: CHAPTER 55: Installation of Officers of a Lodge: CHAPTER 56: Officers of a Lodge, Term, Resignation, and Title . Polls closing or opening at times different than the times posted. 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. 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. %PDF-1.3 j]Ic[faPhgcP0U0.!boS/]9[[3+:;:+:Q1DX. The Master then casts his own vote. << /ProcSet [ /PDF /Text /ImageB /ImageC /ImageI ] /ColorSpace << /Cs1 7 0 R endobj 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. Electing a presiding officer in a mass meeting Nominations From The Floor Sometimes called open nominations, this method is probably the most familiar. 11 0 obj I /8ZzeL%kxF~/a&MBkd/cK"zBARqG(/%:}4Q;l@)R^M,s;p Rx P~DV(GR,&Gj;v}yh/5F3ibD,eZJ or opinion Grand Lodge Committee on Masonic Education: CHAPTER 31: Lodge Service Commission: CHAPTER 32: . 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. It is considered a faux pas to cross . A person can nominate himself or herself. 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. it to the Master who inspects the ballot box making sure that the $.' Any blue lodge that does not hold annual election of officers is considered irregular by most Grand Lodges. AUTHORITY. A website endorsed by a Lodge will be considered the official Lodge website, and will be subject to these criteria and rules. 8 0 obj Lodge No. Same in NM amd OR. 0 Business meetings are held on the EA degree in European lodge. When the secretary prepares the eligibility list for the meeting, only those members who are willing to serve are on the list. Elections are decided by majority vote unless your bylaws provide differently. The Lodge web page must not link to or be linked to by any website where a conflict . <> Members should be alert to some undemocratic political practices in organizations. )GT?=Sk8&o9sU|$gv}~3H'>}3DReeZCZ2HN7.WadE-lUG|1pU]d. It's used in the vast majority of situations in which members elect their officers at a meeting. endobj My Freemasonry | Freemason Information and Discussion Forum. 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. * (rap once). For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Procedure for Contempt: CHAPTER 101: Restoration after Suspension or Expulsion: CHAPTER 102: It is the duty of every member present to vote, 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. MAKE SURE YOU READ YOUR GRAND LODGE CODE! A member may for indecorous or unmasonic conduct be excluded from a single meeting of the lodge. 263 0 obj <>stream A ballot shall be taken for the three degrees A newly raised Master . It may not display this or other websites correctly. 9 0 obj 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. The Senior Deacon closes the lid on the ballot. 5 0 obj 7 0 obj 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. Voting machines having wedges inserted to prevent the lever from going down all the way. endobj We can conduct lodge business in the EA degree in Minnesota, but only Master Masons can vote. <> stream Development] [Education] [Masonic When counting ballots, ballot counters need to keep a few key points in mind: Blank votes are treated as scrap paper and don't count at all. so presented that each officer and member shall cast his ballot That job belongs to the presiding officer, who reads the report again to the members, concluding with a formal declaration of the result. Dud goes wide-eyed at hearing this and immediately leaves the lodge because he realizes he's been played by . If no candidate is found, the committee can leave that slot open for nominations from the floor. >> /ExtGState << /Gs1 13 0 R >> /Font << /Tc1 10 0 R /TT2 9 0 R >> /XObject Freemasonry's Requirements for Membership. You must log in or register to reply here. 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. This saves time and allows for polling at a time and place other than a meeting. 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. 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. masonic lodge election procedure; shkolla viktor hygo logo October 28, 2021. masonic lodge election procedure . 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. Lodge to vote, the Master should invite the tiler in and have a Like all of us, I've heard it annually since the election in the year of my raising. 4 0 obj endobj 9. Adam is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in Pennsylvania and is employed as a Senior Manager of International Tax in Latrobe, PA. Grand Lodge Dues 24 Conducting an Election of Officers 24-25 Section . other regular Masonic body other than those stated. 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. Introduction. endobj <> The "lex non scripta," or unwritten law of Freemasonry is derived from the traditions, usages and customs of . of Freemasonry, nor webmaster nor those of any Decision Making For Dummies. By absolute demit, [ Chapter 76] 3. The motion to have a vote for a particular office recounted needs a second, is not debatable, and takes a majority vote to adopt. Masonic politics is typically at its ugliest during elections when Brothers are charged with un-Masonic conduct for "electioneering." I find this all rather amusing as I believe our process for electing officers is far from perfect. white ball elects; a black cube rejects. After the period during which a recount can be conducted has passed, you don't need to keep the ballots. [Feedback]. Discover the world's largest and oldest fraternal organization with over 3 million members. Your group's rules and customs determine when floor nominations are accepted. 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 /Rotate 0 >> 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 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 . Depending on your organization and the decisions being made, balloting may take place during a meeting, or polls may be open during polling periods including times when no meeting is in progress. Masters are required to see that the ballot box is again appears the petitioner shall be declared rejected, but he may at 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. and the Master may oblige him to do so. 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. once petition the same or any other Lodge in the jurisdiction. ), Members rarely make a motion to close nominations because it's never in order to make this motion as long as anyone wants to make a nomination. Sometimes there is a split in the nominating committee over who to nominate. It's never in order to vote Yes or No (or For or Against) a candidate when electing persons to office. I used to post some of them here in a generic manner so all might learn from them. rejection. Since it is the obligation of every brother of the Yes, every year Masonic Lodges do have elections. Ballot voting is by far the surest way to allow for the free expression of the will of the membership. 705 South Hercules Avenue. Booth Lodge 100-100C, be amended . The bylaws of a charitable trust affiliated with a masonic lodge provide that its 9-member board consists of three "classes"of three, each class serving rotating three-year terms. Books Online] [E-Books] [Library Of If lodge functions go smoothly, it is the Master who takes the credit. Section 3. The advanced tools of the editor will guide you through the editable PDF template. time immemorial. If a member leaves one part blank, the votes entered on the other questions still count. [What is New] A member can rise and decline the nomination during the nominating process. 14 0 R /BitsPerComponent 8 /Filter /FlateDecode >> 10. Two top hats are placed on the kneeling pad at foot Illegal votes cast by legal voters count toward the total votes cast, but they don't count for any individual choice or candidate. Ballot voting is the preferred voting method in situations in which knowing how all the members voted isn't desirable. In either case, you need to appoint reliable ballot counters to hand out and collect ballots and to count the votes. Or, members can also finish the election at the next regular meeting if the meeting falls within a quarterly time period. 10 0 obj Like any incidental main motion, an election can be decided by voice vote or by ballot. Tradition holds that the Master of the lodge appoint a committee of three (usually Past Masters) to serve as a Tellers Committee. 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. 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. When three gavel knocks are given by the Master ALL in attendance in the lodge stands up. altar. 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. :7YA/gOwNw|\g[u|I}?F. 2 0 obj 3. 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. Doing this may allow an unpopular or hand-picked candidate to get the office even though he or she was not elected. Join us as we strive to make good men better by teaching universal values through the use of geometry and architecture metaphors. Or, they can tell members publicly that they do not have a nominee for a certain office; this allows members to volunteer. report from the investigating committee. These could lead The Constitution is clear on the proper procedure A write-in vote is a legal vote unless it's unintelligible or cast for an unidentifiable or ineligible person or for a fictitious character, in which case it's counted as an illegal vote. 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).. Ie!W2UP7MEdq-2Y+(jVW`Y, z?D;tr>[iqqF7!FR$uh?%b inviolably preserved. At the end of each successful vote the ballots The balloting committee can still count the ballots. 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. <>/ExtGState<>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 612 792] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> Pause. % xU]o@|_cZR%q"b$*/}E(k nK6hb'_ D(|}5Dsq PBY%_'Dru.{,dW9PeOw9 d6!=#3r/iby+4C~9^-GT.d These Masonic rituals represent three degrees which are taken in sequence. Usually the president closes nominations when no further nominations come forward from the assembly. Annual Meeting Election and Installation of Officers Annual Past Masters Night Symbolic Degree Refresher Application Avouching Back to Lodge Night Bringing Freemasonry to the Attention of Profane Correspondence Dress Entering an Opened Lodge Examination of Visitors Example Sheet - Lodge Programs General Grand Honors collectively, and in the case of one blackball appearing therein it The Senior Deacon obtains the ballot box and presents 1. The requirement for election by ballot is a majority, and a candidate has no obligation to withdraw just because he polls low numbers. (or for affiliation) which has received a unanimously favorable At the Worshipful Masters order the Wardens to The Senior Deacon presents the ballot for examination altar.". Here are things you can do to improve your fraternity while not being on a lodge officer: Strengthen the brotherhood - The foundation of brotherhood is the strength of the friendships between the brothers. Masonic Lodges, Masonic Organizations, and Youth Orders may conduct in-person meetings and events in compliance with county and city restrictions, if any. Sent from my LG-H811 using My Freemasonry Pro mobile app. APPOINTMENT. 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. Nominations for each office are followed by the election for that office. All Articles] [Masonic Every lodge is incorporated and required to have corporate officers. Voting by ballot enables a member to vote for a candidate not formally nominated by writing in a name a write-in vote.