This method requires more time for the election process, making it probably best limited to smaller groups. % You must come recommended by at least two existing Freemasons from the lodge you're petitioning. Masonic etiquette decries anyone who does not obey the gavel. 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. Two top hats are placed on the kneeling pad at foot of altar. These Masonic rituals represent three degrees which are taken in sequence. New Jersey checking in. 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. 2 0 obj After nominations are closed, the vote is taken on each nominee in the order in which they were nominated. The presiding officer votes along with all the other members, although she is never allowed to cast a tie-breaker in a ballot vote. Achieve this by asking them to hang out with you. endobj ", JW: "Fair (cloudy) in the South, Worshipful. A Lodge supporting this vital outreach of the Foundation, will be properly noted. When the secretary prepares the eligibility list for the meeting, only those members who are willing to serve are on the list. 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. 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. 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 minutes may say, for example, "Eric Olson was elected to the board for two years. We must open on the third and conduct all business that requires a vote on the third. A website endorsed by a Lodge will be considered the official Lodge website, and will be subject to these criteria and rules. If not, Brother AUTHORITY. Lodge Election Procedures "Worshipful Master (WM) or Preceding Officer" 1. If you have a nominating committee in place, ask this group to declare their nominee for a specific officer role. 6. 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. Cell phones, chewing gum, crinkly snack wrappers and other distractions should be disallowed during a fraternity election (except during breaks). endstream endobj startxref Is it permissible to hold election of officers in an EA lodge? 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. No officer of a Masonic lodge may take up his elected or appointed duties until formally installed to his office by proper authority. The presiding officer can continue presiding, even if he or she is one of the nominees for the office. election of officers in April each year. A parade of misfortunes had culminated by forcing potato planter Fred Jensen to stop his cross-country dash 85 miles short of his destination. If a member notices a mistake in procedure, he or she should immediately make the chair and assembly aware of his concerns. In the vote for the position of Worshipful Master stream If not, the members can vote again during that meeting for another candidate. 'xzwQ38/4b|T}R-g|7uhw 4!"icE)S7AEo As each nomination is received (assuming multiple candidates), ask each nominee "If elected, are you willing to serve?" A properly planned and executed meeting results in good participation. endstream endobj startxref This site is not an official site of any recognized Masonic body in the United The committee should meet, carefully review the membership list, and select the people who they think will do the best job in each office. 2 0 obj ____ for the ensuing Masonic year. When nominations are taken from the floor or when a nominating ballot is used, a good practice is to provide the members with an eligibility list so that they are not nominating people who will not be able to serve. WM: "You will present the ballot to the officers and <> His term expires July, 2014.". 5 0 obj If a member votes for fewer choices than positions to be elected, the vote is legal and those votes count. Introduction. Remember brethren, a position north of the altar. 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. 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! Robert's Rules on elections are very straightforward after what is often a politically charged prequel of nominating and campaigning. The election process may be the easiest part of deciding who handles a particular job in the organization. . 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. elected. collectively, and in the case of one blackball appearing therein it 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 visiting brother take his place so that the tiler may cast his <> Electing a presiding officer in a mass meeting Nominations From The Floor Sometimes called open nominations, this method is probably the most familiar. The committee then has to find a new nominee, and the members have to vote again. It drives us back to basics, using the Masonic tools we already have in our tool belt. Blogs] [Links] endobj Grand Lodge Dues 24 Conducting an Election of Officers 24-25 Section . Adam is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in Pennsylvania and is employed as a Senior Manager of International Tax in Latrobe, PA. Nominations are now open from the floor. WM: "The brethren of ____________ Lodge No. 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. Officers Duties and Responsibilities . ", SW: "Clear (dark) in the West, Worshipful. The Authorities for Masonic Law. endobj Pause. endstream endobj 34 0 obj <>>>/Metadata 18 0 R/Pages 31 0 R/Type/Catalog>> endobj 35 0 obj <>/ExtGState<>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]>>/Rotate 0/Type/Page>> endobj 36 0 obj <>stream 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. report from the investigating committee. If your assembly's members are accountable to a constituency, your rules may require you to conduct your elections by roll-call vote. 1. Westside Toastmasters is located in Los Angeles and Santa Monica, California. This example is based on moving to have nominations by committee, but the form is essentially the same for any of the methods. <> % Depending on the Grand Lodge, this can be anywhere from 18 to 25. Same in NM amd OR. 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. If officers assume their duties immediately after the meeting is adjourned, it is then too late to question the election. <>>> 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. Some Lodges have their bills paid automatically each month electronically, such as for utilities and telephones for example. 5. The Senior Deacon presents the ballot for examination ",#(7),01444'9=82. 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. At the end of each successful vote the ballots That means run-offs are just plain out of order. the vote. Your group's rules and customs determine when floor nominations are accepted. and the Master may oblige him to do so. (or for affiliation) which has received a unanimously favorable Ballot voting is by far the surest way to allow for the free expression of the will of the membership. 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. rejection. of altar. 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).. f;-^*//%^je)R%^eKuZJQ\LU/Zgy:FDt8KF:US1OG+T/5i]\V5qhw`6mjzS"m].#{T^]q p;43[9[C nF^y' 64 Masonic Lodges, Masonic Organizations, and Youth Orders may conduct in-person meetings and events in compliance with county and city restrictions, if any. of Freemasonry, nor webmaster nor those of any 14 0 R /BitsPerComponent 8 /Filter /FlateDecode >> endstream masonic lodge election procedure; shkolla viktor hygo logo October 28, 2021. masonic lodge election procedure . 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. << /Length 5 0 R /Filter /FlateDecode >> *(cM YiVo~r049>Kwz,8*#]qVLB`l:HM\7Gj#?#PV(F"y@f4 @hbe2q&8%RYcM`uU;ap10n TURNING YOUR BACK: Never turn one's back on the Master to address the lodge without first-receiving permission ;J @*Ix~6ia 023X85i=%/v')^KkHaQaA {DCAH ' (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 $5000.00 or such lesser amount as the District Grand Lodge shall by resolution from time to time determine. The above procedure is repeated for each position or 246 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<75266C93CDC0804A95BB4A6C74B63ADD>]/Index[234 30]/Info 233 0 R/Length 67/Prev 302045/Root 235 0 R/Size 264/Type/XRef/W[1 2 1]>>stream Books Online] [E-Books] [Library Of * MAKE SURE YOU READ YOUR GRAND LODGE CODE! In the vote for Secretary, unless he is retiring, <> endobj In Tennessee, the only time you open an EA or FC lodge is to confer those degrees. West and bright (black) in the East. If there is a question about the way a ballot is marked, the ballot counters should take it to the presiding officer. Brother Secretary conduct a roll call. Development] [Education] [Masonic again appears the petitioner shall be declared rejected, but he may at However, we open the Lodge on the 3rd then call to refreshment, invite everyome in, after the ceremony the WM closes without form. it to the Master who inspects the ballot box making sure that the Illegal votes cast by legal voters count toward the total votes cast, but they don't count for any individual choice or candidate. A decision on how long to keep them can be made at the meeting when the vote takes place, or a short retention period for ballots can be adopted as a standing rule. ojx&^ 64>"> |&`mkG l[o;5``ek l[;5zk Vhp 5Pq_t.Z1lhp3M \H{Tl nF$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? 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 The Senior Deacon then takes up a . Tradition holds that the Master of the lodge appoint a committee of three (usually Past Masters) to serve as a Tellers Committee. The election of lodge officers is an annual event, specified in the lodge bylaws. These could lead The Constitution is clear on the proper procedure Our officer installations aren't held during a tiled meeting (although they could be); they are open ceremonies with guests. [Articles] [Masonic 8. Do you When the nominating ballot is received, the signed inner envelope containing the ballot is logged in against a list of voting members, and the ballot is deposited in a receptacle for tallying like an election ballot. 1.01 Charter: This Lodge exists by virtue of a Charter, dated 20th day of January, 1892 from the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Florida, and is located in the City of Clearwater, in the County of Pinellas, in the State of Florida. 6 Y~0 0@ appears the ballot shall be immediately retaken, and if a blackball <> And whenever you want to specify when nominations can be made, you use a motion to open or close nominations. Club elections and officers are an integral part of the organization and must be conducted according to the group's bylaws and rules. Master informs the successful individual as follows: "Brother HWG l!$"' g]9=3>3U}Zo.wjyiQo?\>,:lFYE#q IBZ.rwi/A%f_N'_LDX WB Christopher J. Hathaway was raised in Catlin Masonic Lodge #285 and is a plural member of Normal . 2. The only way you can vote against a candidate is to vote for another person. endobj One example occurs if a person is elected and then resigns, the office is considered vacant, and the president or board fills it by appointment instead of having another election. some brother of the Lodge other than the Secretary should tally and hbbd``b`$+@9`~ $U@ AL Abo;I0 V!$B j]Ic[faPhgcP0U0.!boS/]9[[3+:;:+:Q1DX. 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. 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. 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. When using this procedure, make it clear that a person can be nominated for and elected to more than one office. 10 0 obj A poor meeting achieves the opposite results. %PDF-1.5 % 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 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 Balloting for your acceptance into a Masonic lodge After the investigative committee reports to the lodge, your petition is voted on. Once you're a Master Mason, you've got a few options. A Lodge member who has held the highest office in the Lodge has for life a Masonic position of his own. To lend a professional air to the proceedings, suggest that brothers wear a collared shirt and tie, especially the candidates. WM: "Brother Junior Warden, how stands the ballot in In a voice vote, the winner is easy to determine and the vote is over when someone wins the election. 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. States or elsewhere. Suggested Procedure For Electing Lodge Officers. altar.". When two gavel knocks are heard, only officers of the lodge stand. endobj It is considered a faux pas to cross . Elections are decided by majority vote unless your bylaws provide differently. cubes in the box. will advance to the altar and cast their ballot. If members haven't used the machine before, it may be wise to show them how to use it the day before the election. Every lodge is incorporated and required to have corporate officers. Don't implement a new process to 450 lodges until it is . It's never proper to drop the candidates receiving the lowest vote totals from a ballot unless they withdraw voluntarily. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Fund raising is underway. WM: "Brethren, you have heard read the After the person elected to office assumes the position, it is too late to nullify an illegal election. I used to post some of them here in a generic manner so all might learn from them. Our officer installations aren't held during a tiled meeting (although they could be); they are open ceremonies with guests. Further, I don't think I have ever seen a Lodge election where there isn't some form of politics involved. time immemorial. endobj accept?" Books Online] [E-Books] [Library Of 2 0 obj Each incoming class of three shall consist of the incoming Junior Warden of the lodge (which has its own bylaws), and. The process of making floor nominations is subject to the following rules: Recognition by the chair is not required to make a nomination. endobj A newly raised Master . Balloting must continue until a candidate receives a majority. hb```BVG ea8 P}+/m HB280 - Allows a weapons carry license holder to hold a handgun concealed whereas on campus of public technical schools and public colleges. Tradition holds that the Master of the lodge appoint a committee of three (usually Past Masters) to serve as a Tellers Committee. Secretary prepares ballots for each position to be or opinion vote. 8 0 obj 4[>56[Wbz ; ~D.Lf Y`S=#A.%* ^Ckk8a)W=Lt!z3 EHDG}S?#&,y$OAYNOQ kKl_B ? endobj I've never see a script or outline, but it should proceed as follows: That sounds like the CA required verbiage. %PDF-1.5 By transfer of membership, maintaining continuous membership, and 4. Motions to close nominations are usually unnecessary because the nomination process simply continues until no one wishes to make further nominations. As Masons, we hone our skills to apply their use, improving ourselves daily. The Senior Deacon obtains the ballot box and presents Apply a check mark to indicate the choice wherever . All eyes are upon the Master. Lodge to vote, the Master should invite the tiler in and have a 6 0 obj Freemasonry promotes friendship, morality, and brotherly love among men of all races, religions, opinions, and backgrounds. Procedure for Contempt: CHAPTER 101: Restoration after Suspension or Expulsion: CHAPTER 102: endobj It's used in the vast majority of situations in which members elect their officers at a meeting. A member may for indecorous or unmasonic conduct be excluded from a single meeting of the lodge. - "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 .