x`TU?5%BBH*5XHRjD5IPJ@Z"MDE]sm.Cs)}{n/JFtZ_!ms6g:8_\Xt hq[gGBqvZ(}%p&N"4t 4b2hEs election of officers in April each year. Like any incidental main motion, an election can be decided by voice vote or by ballot. 1. PDF Protocol & Etiquette Essentials It's never proper to drop the candidates receiving the lowest vote totals from a ballot unless they withdraw voluntarily. 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. [What is Freemasonry] [Leadership . salute with the Worshipful Master. Members should be alert to some undemocratic political practices in organizations. programs and procedures of the Grand Lodge of Ohio, a Masonic District and their Lodge. JavaScript is disabled. Robert's Rules on elections are very straightforward after what is often a politically charged prequel of nominating and campaigning. However, calling nominations from your seat is often impractical, so you may want to adopt a more formal nomination process. 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. In Kentucky, the individual is normally sent a certified letter. Illegal votes cast by legal voters count toward the total votes cast, but they don't count for any individual choice or candidate. 127. Conducting an Election of Officers p. 25 Section III. In Texas, per Art. 2 0 obj Dues & Don'ts of Getting Into a Masonic Lodge | Freemason Network I've never see a script or outline, but it should proceed as follows: That sounds like the CA required verbiage. %PDF-1.5 [Articles] [Masonic Sent from my LG-H811 using My Freemasonry Pro mobile app. stream The person who gets the most votes may not have a majority of the votes. Chapter XV - Balloting Procedure - The Masonic Trowel 6 0 obj of altar. The Necessity of Lodge Audits | Freemason Information 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. 2. 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. qQ^&FJ J } Freemasons explain the rituals and benefits of membership 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. 0 1. * Any blue lodge that does not hold annual election of officers is considered irregular by most Grand Lodges. accept?" Westside Toastmasters is located in Los Angeles and Santa Monica, California. The Authorities for Masonic Law. Officer Election Form Template | Jotform The Principles of Masonic Law, by Albert G. Mackey, M.D. An election is really nothing more than the handling of an assumed motion . 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. endobj If not, the members can vote again during that meeting for another candidate. << /Im1 11 0 R >> >> We must open on the third and conduct all business that requires a vote on the third. Whatever nomination method you propose, be specific. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. 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." At the Worshipful Masters order the Wardens to Since it is the obligation of every brother of the Interestingly, some years ago, Virginia implemented a dues amnesty program. The Lodge web page must not link to or be linked to by any website where a conflict . 10. Past Masters of ____________ Lodge No. Non-Payment of dues | My Freemasonry | Freemason Information and The election (or rejection) of a candidate in a Masonic lodge is a secret ballot, and with few exceptions, must be completely unanimous. [What is Freemasonry] [Leadership I guess that would depend on the jurisdiction. The mechanics of the election are governed by a few sections of the Minnesota Masonic Code and quite a bit of lodge tradition. Here is how: You must first find a Masonic lodge location near you, contact them, and ask for a petition to join. <>>> of Freemasonry, nor webmaster nor those of any The Louisiana Freemason Spring 2020 Issue by Grand Lodge of Louisiana 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. 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. 8. 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. 587 Voting by ballot enables a member to vote for a candidate not formally nominated by writing in a name a write-in vote. collect the ballots, the Deacons approach the altar, pick up the hats, <> Secretary prepares ballots for each position to be appears the ballot shall be immediately retaken, and if a blackball 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. Freemasonry | Definition, History, Stages, Lodges, & Facts 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. 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. again appears the petitioner shall be declared rejected, but he may at Register a free account today to become a member! stream Masonic Lodge Election Procedure HB89 - Tightens the time frames for issuance of firearms licenses by probate judges. [What is New] $.' You take nominations from the floor for one office, and when no further nominations are forthcoming, you proceed to the balloting for that office. 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. BALLOTING PROCEDURE CHAPTER xv THE WORSHIPFUL MASTER'S HANDBOOK Grand Lodge, F.A.A.M. altar. To which Blaise replies "Yeah, 200 bucks is pretty steep.". The Principles of Masonic Law/Chapter XX - Wikisource Customarily (although it's not required), the chair accomplishes this by calling three times for more nominations. 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).. Masonic Lodge Election Procedure > 2023 Lodge Officers Manual - Masonic Grand Lodge of Maine 5 0 obj Master informs the successful individual as follows: "Brother If the ballot vote decides an election, you're instructed to write the name of the nominee of your choice on your ballot. Nominations are now open from the floor. endobj inviolably preserved. If someone is not willing to serve, the committee needs to meet again and find another candidate. Ballot voting is the preferred voting method in situations in which knowing how all the members voted isn't desirable. 3 0 obj The election of lodge officers is an annual event, specified in the lodge bylaws. <> The Master then casts his own vote. Join us as we strive to make good men better by teaching universal values through the use of geometry and architecture metaphors. The Requirements to Join a Freemason Lodge - dummies 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! PDF Election of Lodge Officers Handbook - mdmoose.org Introduction. 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) 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. <> Persons serving on the committee can be nominated for office. will advance to the altar and cast their ballot. WB Christopher J. Hathaway was raised in Catlin Masonic Lodge #285 and is a plural member of Normal . By transfer of membership, maintaining continuous membership, and 4. Lodge elections are performed via a Masonic Ballot Box. Masonic Etiquette And Protocol - The Masonic Trowel In counting the votes, the balloting committee must not confuse a majority vote with the highest number of votes. That job belongs to the presiding officer, who reads the report again to the members, concluding with a formal declaration of the result. % 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 However, in some national organizations that meet yearly or biennially (every two years), this is difficult. As JPM of my lodge, I've been asked to serve in this role for our upcoming officer elections. And whenever you want to specify when nominations can be made, you use a motion to open or close nominations. Booth Lodge 100-100C, be amended . PDF The Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Ohio - Freemason Nominations for each office are followed by the election for that office. The Code has two primary chapters that describe the process of voting in subordinate lodges. The presiding officer can continue presiding, even if he or she is one of the nominees for the office. By absolute demit, [ Chapter 76] 3. Every lodge is incorporated and required to have corporate officers. When the nominations stop, the chair just declares nominations closed after making sure that no more nominations are forthcoming. collectively, and in the case of one blackball appearing therein it Lodge Website Criteria | Grand Lodge of Georgia, F. & A.M. endobj No candidate whose application has collect the ballots and place the hats with the ballots at the ;J @*Ix~6ia 023X85i=%/v')^KkHaQaA {DCAH ' 12 0 obj Voting machines having wedges inserted to prevent the lever from going down all the way. The secretary places all nominations in the minutes. When the secretary prepares the eligibility list for the meeting, only those members who are willing to serve are on the list. If you have only two candidates and the vote is a tie, you repeat the balloting until one candidate receives a majority. MAKE SURE YOU READ YOUR GRAND LODGE CODE! Organizations can create and write election rules to correct this mistake. Get To Know Ohio Freemasonry's Grand Secretary | Freemason 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. You must log in or register to reply here. 'xzwQ38/4b|T}R-g|7uhw 4!"icE)S7AEo If they don't set a time for an adjourned meeting, they can call a special meeting (if the bylaws allow this). That means run-offs are just plain out of order. ), 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. The election process may be the easiest part of deciding who handles a particular job in the organization. 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. Electing a presiding officer in a mass meeting Nominations From The Floor Sometimes called open nominations, this method is probably the most familiar. PDF 2015 01 30 Installation of Officers of Local Lodges The Masonic rituals provided here are as practiced under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Nevada, circa 1986. PDF Constitution of The Grand Lodge 2 0 obj 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. <> 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. Lodge Transfers : r/freemasonry - reddit ____ for the ensuing Masonic year. should be destroyed. Some organizations add nominees to the ballot only if the name is submitted on a petition signed by some minimum number of members. altar. JavaScript is disabled. 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. . It is for informational purposes only and does not necessarily reflect the views The presiding officer votes along with all the other members, although she is never allowed to cast a tie-breaker in a ballot vote. endobj Each incoming class of three shall consist of the incoming Junior Warden of the lodge (which has its own bylaws), and. One vote against the petitioner generally rejects him. %PDF-1.5 SECRETARY FORMS AND REPORTS | Grand Lodge of Georgia, F. & A.M. 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. 16 0 obj 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. A late-arriving member can vote only with other members' consent by majority vote. Brethren, I declare that you have After the brethren have cast their ballots. Lodge Visitation - A Privilege - The Masonic Trowel <> 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. AUTHORITY. endobj :7YA/gOwNw|\g[u|I}?F. Mail or absentee ballots not arriving on time or mysteriously disappearing when the time comes to count them. 2. 6 0 obj - "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 . 6 Y~0 0@ vote. APPOINTMENT. The Senior Deacon obtains the ballot box and presents As soon as the committee reports, it is discharged from its duties. 1. 11 0 obj 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. If a member votes for fewer choices than positions to be elected, the vote is legal and those votes count. Conducting Local Union Officer Elections | U.S. Department of Labor It's never in order to vote Yes or No (or For or Against) a candidate when electing persons to office. Development] [Education] [Masonic Freemasonry promotes friendship, morality, and brotherly love among men of all races, religions, opinions, and backgrounds. At this time the 3. Marshal takes up his place at the West Gate and the Junior Deacon If members haven't used the machine before, it may be wise to show them how to use it the day before the election. By-Laws | District Grand Lodge of Jamaica & the Cayman Islands names. % The Secretary announces the results of the vote, a PDF CONFORMING TO MASONIC ETIQUETTE - Grand Lodge of Iowa 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. WM: "Have all of the brethren of _______________ The brother responds. 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. Each question on a multipart ballot is counted as a separate ballot. 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). ballot drawer is empty and that there are both white balls and black To help with the Masonic experience at Lodge meetings, you were allowed to open on any degree, and use the Chamber 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. No matter which procedure you use, the order in which you take up each election is the order in which the offices are listed in your bylaws. (rap). 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. In determining how long to hold the ballots before destroying them, your main consideration is the possibility of needing a recount. % New Jersey checking in. The Senior Deacon presents the ballot for examination 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. 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. All eyes are upon the Master. gjzUS&31+W&nck')*Uf{|mON6E4GKIpFT(o o.RJ MXqy-) MR some brother of the Lodge other than the Secretary should tally and A common mistake in elections is having too many ballots cast for the number of members present. If a member notices a mistake in procedure, he or she should immediately make the chair and assembly aware of his concerns. Yes, every year Masonic Lodges do have elections. the name on the ballot and the Secretary repeats the name and tallies Doing this may allow an unpopular or hand-picked candidate to get the office even though he or she was not elected. Freemasonry (or Brother __________for affiliation)." Grand Lodge Officers - Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania 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. If members adjourn before an election is complete, they should set the time for an adjourned meeting to finish the election. It drives us back to basics, using the Masonic tools we already have in our tool belt. The motion to have a vote for a particular office recounted needs a second, is not debatable, and takes a majority vote to adopt. Some practices to watch out for include: Ballot boxes being stuffed or written ballots being changed. 4[>56[Wbz ; ~D.Lf Y`S=#A.%* ^Ckk8a)W=Lt!z3 EHDG}S?#&,y$OAYNOQ kKl_B ? endobj altar.". Polls closing or opening at times different than the times posted. Illegal votes are, Two or more marked ballots folded together (together they count as only one illegal vote). This saves time and allows for polling at a time and place other than a meeting. 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. It is for informational purposes only and does not necessarily reflect the views shall be immediately retaken, when, if a blackball again appears, the endobj As each nomination is received (assuming multiple candidates), ask each nominee "If elected, are you willing to serve?" State which position is open for election or re-election, and invite members of the organization to come forward with their nominations for the position. PDF Guidelines for Subordinate Lodge Balloting - Grand Lodge of NC This site is not an official site of any recognized Masonic body in the United 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. Suddenly it's 3am. masonic lodge election procedure; shkolla viktor hygo logo October 28, 2021. masonic lodge election procedure . If an EA is not attending, it is the option of the WM as to which lodge will be opened. 2. HWG l!$"' g]9=3>3U}Zo.wjyiQo?\>,:lFYE#q IBZ.rwi/A%f_N'_LDX Club elections and officers are an integral part of the organization and must be conducted according to the group's bylaws and rules. ", JW: "Fair (cloudy) in the South, Worshipful. However only Masters can vote. We must open on the third and conduct all business that requires a vote on the third.
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