masonic lodge election procedure

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). TURNING YOUR BACK: Never turn one's back on the Master to address the lodge without first-receiving permission endstream endobj startxref A Lodge supporting this vital outreach of the Foundation, will be properly noted. If counting ballots takes some time, it is best for the assembly to take a recess instead of adjourn. If this occurs and it does not affect the outcome of the vote, the election is still valid. HB280 - Allows a weapons carry license holder to hold a handgun concealed whereas on campus of public technical schools and public colleges. However, we open the Lodge on the 3rd then call to refreshment, invite everyome in, after the ceremony the WM closes without form. It is the duty of every member present to vote, These could lead The Constitution is clear on the proper procedure Freemasonry (or Brother __________for affiliation)." 4 0 obj His term expires July, 2014.". Collectively, these motions are known as motions related to nominations. Sent from my LG-H811 using My Freemasonry Pro mobile app. It may not display this or other websites correctly. 2. In Tennessee, the only time you open an EA or FC lodge is to confer those degrees. <> 1. When holding ballot elections, you have two procedural options: Nominations for all offices conclude before any balloting begins. Ballot counters should cast their ballots at the same time that the assembly votes. 13 0 obj << /ProcSet [ /PDF /Text /ImageB /ImageC /ImageI ] /ColorSpace << /Cs1 7 0 R 2. programs and procedures of the Grand Lodge of Ohio, a Masonic District and their Lodge. ___________, you have been elected to serve as ____________ of time immemorial. The advanced tools of the editor will guide you through the editable PDF template. The Lodge web page must not link to or be linked to by any website where a conflict . If the committee does its job well, the membership can enjoy some basic assurance that the candidates nominated have at least expressed interest in the job, have agreed to serve, and are qualified for the offices for which they're nominated. Some practices to watch out for include: Ballot boxes being stuffed or written ballots being changed. Decision Making For Dummies. REG. report from the investigating committee. Votes cast by illegal voters must not be counted at all, not even included in the number of total votes cast. ballot drawer is empty and that there are both white balls and black 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. shall be immediately retaken, when, if a blackball again appears, the 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! These elections happen in the end of the year to elect the following years leadership team. Do you j]Ic[faPhgcP0U0.!boS/]9[[3+:;:+:Q1DX. 11 0 obj 1 0 obj Maine Masonic Charitable Foundation. When it comes to ballot elections, your election isn't complete until a position is filled, and a position is never filled until a candidate receives the threshold number of votes required for election. Tradition holds that the Master of the lodge appoint a committee of three (usually Past Masters) to serve as a Tellers Committee. No officer of a Masonic lodge may take up his elected or appointed duties until formally installed to his office by proper authority. A member shouldn't offer more than one nomination to a position if there are several seats for the same office such as for nominees to a board or a committee until all other members have had the opportunity to make nominations. or opinion The only way you can vote against a candidate is to vote for another person. 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. some brother of the Lodge other than the Secretary should tally and 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. Each question on a multipart ballot is counted as a separate ballot. 1. [What is Freemasonry] [Leadership [What is Freemasonry] [Leadership 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. visiting brother take his place so that the tiler may cast his 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. 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. 66 0 obj <>stream At the Worshipful Masters order the Stewards 1 0 obj The Senior Deacon closes the lid on the ballot. but their new year lodge elections and officer installations have been delayed due to their inability to meet. 263 0 obj <>stream At the Worshipful Master s order the Stewards distribute the ballots for the first position to be voted upon. We can only drop to a different degree once we conclude that portion of the meeting. The above procedure is repeated for each position or to the Junior Warden, then the Senior Warden and then the Worshipful stream 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." 10 0 obj The Authorities for Masonic Law. Your organization needs officers, maybe committee members, and other positions decided by a vote of the membership. A member can rise and decline the nomination during the nominating process. * 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. Persons serving on the committee can be nominated for office. Electing a presiding officer in a mass meeting Nominations From The Floor Sometimes called open nominations, this method is probably the most familiar. endobj Secretarys table and put the ballots into one of the hats. This method gives voters an idea of the group's preferences without holding an actual election. <> 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. 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. 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. Illegal votes are, Two or more marked ballots folded together (together they count as only one illegal vote). When presenting the nominations or taking the vote for a list of offices, the president should follow the order of offices that appears in the bylaws. ), 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. Robert's Rules sets out several methods of making nominations for positions: An organization can nominate candidates in several ways: This method is used whenever the membership wants to rely on the presiding officer to recommend candidates but also wants to reserve for itself (or its designee, such as the board of directors) the approval of the nominee. The appointive officers of the Grand Lodge, save the Deputy Grand Secretary, shall be The committee should meet, carefully review the membership list, and select the people who they think will do the best job in each office. 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. endobj As each nomination is received (assuming multiple candidates), ask each nominee "If elected, are you willing to serve?" Masonic Lodge Election Procedure HB89 - Tightens the time frames for issuance of firearms licenses by probate judges. The Guide is designed to be an easy-to-use reference based on the law and regulations as well as the knowledge and experience of OLMS staff. If an EA is not attending, it is the option of the WM as to which lodge will be opened. A common mistake in elections is having too many ballots cast for the number of members present. Is it permissible to hold election of officers in an EA lodge? Brother Secretary conduct a roll call. 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. This method requires more time for the election process, making it probably best limited to smaller groups. If it is discovered after an election that the person elected does not meet the eligibility requirements, and even if the person has begun to serve, the election is void. 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. Masters are required to see that the ballot box is That job belongs to the presiding officer, who reads the report again to the members, concluding with a formal declaration of the result. 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. Officers Duties and Responsibilities . The election process may be the easiest part of deciding who handles a particular job in the organization. All Articles] [Masonic Ask for nominations for an officer position. Introduction. <> 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. Robert's Rules on elections are very straightforward after what is often a politically charged prequel of nominating and campaigning. The Senior Deacon presents the ballot to each officer And whenever you want to specify when nominations can be made, you use a motion to open or close nominations. Election of Officers of a Lodge: CHAPTER 55: Installation of Officers of a Lodge: CHAPTER 56: Officers of a Lodge, Term, Resignation, and Title . If no candidate is found, the committee can leave that slot open for nominations from the floor. APPOINTMENT. 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. Nominations for each office are followed by the election for that office. The secretary repeats the vote after recording it, to ensure accuracy. First, the Entered Apprentice Degree, second, the Fellow Craft Degree and finally, the Master Mason Degree. Grand Lodge Dues 24 Conducting an Election of Officers 24-25 Section . Ie!W2UP7MEdq-2Y+(jVW`Y, z?D;tr>[iqqF7!FR$uh?%b <> 6 0 obj Masonic etiquette decries anyone who does not obey the gavel. [Articles] [Masonic endobj 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. * (rap once). Usually the president closes nominations when no further nominations come forward from the assembly. ",#(7),01444'9=82. Some Lodges have their bills paid automatically each month electronically, such as for utilities and telephones for example. The election of lodge officers is an annual event, specified in the lodge bylaws. Sometimes the committee is revived to make nominations to fill vacancies. If the lodge is not able to contact the individual after a reasonable period of time, the non-paying Mason is dropped (suspended). 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. 75-3 METHODS OF AFFILIATION. of altar. 12 0 obj <> Here are some other things to consider during the election process: A quorum needs to be present throughout the election meeting. . Ballot counters present during the voting should be carefully instructed in their duties and should be able to explain to other members how to use the machine. Secretary prepares ballots for each position to be elected. once petition the same or any other Lodge in the jurisdiction. Don't implement a new process to 450 lodges until it is . After the person elected to office assumes the position, it is too late to nullify an illegal election. Conducting an Election of Officers p. 25 Section III. 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 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 $.' 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. Customarily (although it's not required), the chair accomplishes this by calling three times for more nominations. A newly raised Master . MAKE SURE YOU READ YOUR GRAND LODGE CODE! This saves time and allows for polling at a time and place other than a meeting. the vote. It may not display this or other websites correctly. <> According to Robert's Rules, a motion to close nominations is out of order as long as any member wishes to make a nomination. x`TU?5%BBH*5XHRjD5IPJ@Z"MDE]sm.Cs)}{n/JFtZ_!ms6g:8_\Xt hq[gGBqvZ(}%p&N"4t 4b2hEs Our officer installations aren't held during a tiled meeting (although they could be); they are open ceremonies with guests. 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 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. One of the most important franchises which the Masonic character offers is THE ELECTION OF MASTER FOR THE ENSUING TWELVE MONTHS. endobj For this reason, members should listen carefully to the report of the ballot counters' committee. You can use a ballot vote to decide either a motion or an election: If the ballot vote decides a motion, the question is clearly stated by the chair, and you're instructed to mark your ballot Yes or No (or For or Against). 1. and the Master may oblige him to do so. Master. "If so, I declare the 4. 9 0 obj The Masonic rituals provided here are as practiced under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Nevada, circa 1986. Rules may include how long the organization saves ballots and how long members can wait to challenge an election. Adam is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in Pennsylvania and is employed as a Senior Manager of International Tax in Latrobe, PA. WM: "You will present the ballot to the officers and In most places, the answer is likely no. - "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 . Your members may wind up voting for Mr. Low as the compromise candidate. *(cM YiVo~r049>Kwz,8*#]qVLB`l:HM\7Gj#?#PV(F"y@f4 @hbe2q&8%RYcM`uU;ap10n % New Jersey checking in. 3 0 obj 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. 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. If lodge functions go smoothly, it is the Master who takes the credit. A Lodge member who has held the highest office in the Lodge has for life a Masonic position of his own. endstream endobj startxref <> If a member notices a mistake in procedure, he or she should immediately make the chair and assembly aware of his concerns. ballot closed." Lodge elections are performed via a Masonic Ballot Box. This site is not an official site of any recognized Masonic body in the United Nominations are now open from the floor. In counting the votes, the balloting committee must not confuse a majority vote with the highest number of votes. majority of those voting being necessary for election, and the Worshipful endstream <> 4. Same in NM amd OR. yy MWY*^K$@48SyFHv! << /Length 12 0 R /Type /XObject /Subtype /Image /Width 610 /Height 521 /ColorSpace 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 3. If a member leaves one part blank, the votes entered on the other questions still count. To which Blaise replies "Yeah, 200 bucks is pretty steep.". >> /ExtGState << /Gs1 13 0 R >> /Font << /Tc1 10 0 R /TT2 9 0 R >> /XObject Blogs] [Links] again appears the petitioner shall be declared rejected, but he may at During an election, especially when ballot counters are not trained or when candidates are running in opposition, members may become aware of mistakes or illegal procedures in collecting or counting the ballots. Like any incidental main motion, an election can be decided by voice vote or by ballot. The report of the nominating committee is usually given under "special orders." [Articles] [Masonic By signing a petition for the formation of a new lodge, [ Chapter 39] 2. Each officer and member, before voting, must exchange the Doing this may allow an unpopular or hand-picked candidate to get the office even though he or she was not elected. 98% sure that it is. While the . 1. In Kentucky, the individual is normally sent a certified letter. Secretary prepares ballots for each position to be 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[ it to the Master who inspects the ballot box making sure that the JavaScript is disabled. % 5 0 obj Join a brotherhood of over 2,000,000 men of all ages, from all races, religions, and countries, and from all walks of life. This site is not an official site of any recognized Masonic body in the United In Texas, per Art. Cell phones, chewing gum, crinkly snack wrappers and other distractions should be disallowed during a fraternity election (except during breaks). Grand Lodge Committee on Masonic Education: CHAPTER 31: Lodge Service Commission: CHAPTER 32: .

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