The organization must have another election. My Freemasonry | Freemason Information and Discussion Forum. If you become a Free Mason, you will: Join both the oldest and the largest fraternity in the world. 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. (rap). However, in some national organizations that meet yearly or biennially (every two years), this is difficult. This example is based on moving to have nominations by committee, but the form is essentially the same for any of the methods. 6. Usually the president closes nominations when no further nominations come forward from the assembly. A Lodge supporting this vital outreach of the Foundation, will be properly noted. MAKE SURE YOU READ YOUR GRAND LODGE CODE! The election process may be the easiest part of deciding who handles a particular job in the organization. Magazines Online]
One vote against the petitioner generally rejects him. Every day , before I retired, I would receive a wide variety of questions and comments from Constituent Lodge Secretaries and other officers, many of which are quite applicable to other lodges. That means run-offs are just plain out of order. <>/ExtGState<>/XObject<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 595.44 841.92] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>>
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. % This site is not an official site of any recognized Masonic body in the United
Nominations are now open from the floor. 1. [Articles] [Masonic
___________, you have been elected to serve as ____________ of
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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). endobj
If members haven't used the machine before, it may be wise to show them how to use it the day before the election. When called on to give the report, the chairman of the nominating committee states the nominations for each office. collect the ballots, the Deacons approach the altar, pick up the hats,
At this time the
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. At the Worshipful Masters order the Stewards
* (rap once). 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. or opinion
In this case, the members must vote again until one candidate receives a majority vote. %
Suggested Procedure For Electing Lodge Officers. AUTHORITY. Senior Deacon,", WM: "Prepare and present the ballot box.". If your assembly's members are accountable to a constituency, your rules may require you to conduct your elections by roll-call vote. 5. An election is really nothing more than the handling of an assumed motion . Enter your official identification and contact details. A late-arriving member can vote only with other members' consent by majority vote. If this occurs and it does not affect the outcome of the vote, the election is still valid. This method gives voters an idea of the group's preferences without holding an actual election. Chapter 63 covers general voting and Chapter 68 covers the secret ballot. 5 0 obj
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The Master then casts his own vote. 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. Collectively, these motions are known as motions related to nominations. (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 $5000.00 or such lesser amount as the District Grand Lodge shall by resolution from time to time determine. Master informs the successful individual as follows: "Brother
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This site is not an official site of any recognized Masonic body in the United
For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. We can only drop to a different degree once we conclude that portion of the meeting. In writing the nomination, election, and vacancy conditions in the bylaws, the organization should make sure that if a vacancy is created early in the term of office, the vacancy is filled by election instead of by appointment, whenever possible. The secretary repeats the vote after recording it, to ensure accuracy. For this reason, members should listen carefully to the report of the ballot counters' committee. The Grand Lodge was founded shortly after George I, the first Hanoverian king of the Kingdom of Great Britain, ascended to the throne on 1 August 1714 and the end of the first Jacobite rising of 1715.. Officially, the Grand Lodge of England was founded in London on St. John the Baptist's day, 24 June 1717, when four existing Lodges gathered at the Goose and Gridiron Ale-house in St. Paul's . Lodge to vote, the Master should invite the tiler in and have a
The Master may approve a collective ballot if there
The only way you can vote against a candidate is to vote for another person. Members should be alert to some undemocratic political practices in organizations. %`y`aSW2.9]!BBI These elections are to vote on new top lodge officers in the blue lodge. 705 South Hercules Avenue. Votes cast by illegal voters must not be counted at all, not even included in the number of total votes cast. The above procedure is repeated for each position or
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x=o6 bP+SR[H7\AE>Dz- ^=(pH{'OE5Y%?jUMi?OOVy5'Vx_u5'ur|GY,*'yEL -R@$S0.SHdrV&g_;F0PJ1:|GXqNg As each nomination is received (assuming multiple candidates), ask each nominee "If elected, are you willing to serve?" 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. of the District of Columbia Since it is the obligation of every brother of the Lodge to vote, the Master should invite the tiler in and have a visiting brother take his place so that the tiler may cast his vote. Decision Making For Dummies. In Texas, per Art. Your group's rules and customs determine when floor nominations are accepted. APPOINTMENT. If a member leaves one part blank, the votes entered on the other questions still count. 246 0 obj
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Further, I don't think I have ever seen a Lodge election where there isn't some form of politics involved. Club elections and officers are an integral part of the organization and must be conducted according to the group's bylaws and rules. endobj "30*5gDcJuk.w^m=12Ua&0cE'|H%KV L%|c]c0l;v=[, Cj+M 38xHDL\. Only MMs vote. 8 0 obj
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All Articles] [Masonic
Conducting an Election of Officers p. 25 Section III. If a member votes for fewer choices than positions to be elected, the vote is legal and those votes count. 4[>56[Wbz ; ~D.Lf
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EHDG}S?#&,y$OAYNOQ kKl_B ? << /Type /Page /Parent 3 0 R /Resources 6 0 R /Contents 4 0 R /MediaBox [0 0 612 792] Every lodge is incorporated and required to have corporate officers. You take nominations from the floor for one office, and when no further nominations are forthcoming, you proceed to the balloting for that office. Brethren, I declare that you have
We can conduct lodge business in the EA degree in Minnesota, but only Master Masons can vote. 7 0 obj
And whenever you want to specify when nominations can be made, you use a motion to open or close nominations. These rules supersede the adopted parliamentary authority. It is the duty of every member present to vote,
Procedure for Contempt: CHAPTER 101: Restoration after Suspension or Expulsion: CHAPTER 102: Two top hats are placed on the kneeling pad at foot
It varies! State which position is open for election or re-election, and invite members of the organization to come forward with their nominations for the position. You are using an out of date browser. <>
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The Guide is designed to be an easy-to-use reference based on the law and regulations as well as the knowledge and experience of OLMS staff. endobj
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The Secretary announces the results of the vote, a
1. announce the results of the vote. 3 0 obj
yy MWY*^K$@48SyFHv! Tradition holds that the Master of the lodge appoint a committee of three (usually Past Masters) to serve as a Tellers Committee. If no candidate is found, the committee can leave that slot open for nominations from the floor. In Europe, it takes often a year, to advance per degree. The Senior Deacon then takes up a
No candidate whose application has
Sent from my LG-H811 using My Freemasonry Pro mobile app. 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. <>
hbbd``b`$+@9`~ $U@ AL Abo;I0 V!$B If you have a nominating committee in place, ask this group to declare their nominee for a specific officer role. ", SW: "Clear (dark) in the West, Worshipful. These could lead The Constitution is clear on the proper procedure Or, they can tell members publicly that they do not have a nominee for a certain office; this allows members to volunteer. . TURNING YOUR BACK: Never turn one's back on the Master to address the lodge without first-receiving permission 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." _____ cast their ballot?" Ask for nominations for an officer position. In most cases, the threshold is a majority of the votes cast. After nominations are closed, the vote is taken on each nominee in the order in which they were nominated. Lodge elections are performed via a Masonic Ballot Box. Here are some other things to consider during the election process: A quorum needs to be present throughout the election meeting. 9. A newly raised Master . 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).. 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. It's never proper to drop the candidates receiving the lowest vote totals from a ballot unless they withdraw voluntarily. 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. Customarily (although it's not required), the chair accomplishes this by calling three times for more nominations. Grand Lodge Dues 24 Conducting an Election of Officers 24-25 Section . It's used in the vast majority of situations in which members elect their officers at a meeting. been rejected by a Lodge shall again be proposed within six months after
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For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. 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! endstream
Some Lodges
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Each officer and member, before voting, must exchange the
again appears the petitioner shall be declared rejected, but he may at
/Rotate 0 >> Another problematic practice to watch out for is nominating someone for office who is not eligible. cubes in the box. ____________ Lodge No. A motion to open nominations, when made by a member, is usually a motion to reopen nominations after they have been closed. Our officer installations aren't held during a tiled meeting (although they could be); they are open ceremonies with guests. 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. Don't implement a new process to 450 lodges until it is . Booth Lodge 100-100C, be amended . The assembly then votes again on the other office. . Some organizations add nominees to the ballot only if the name is submitted on a petition signed by some minimum number of members. This method requires more time for the election process, making it probably best limited to smaller groups. . A member has the right to vote until the polls are closed. First, the Entered Apprentice Degree, second, the Fellow Craft Degree and finally, the Master Mason Degree. Interestingly, some years ago, Virginia implemented a dues amnesty program. The election of lodge officers is an annual event, specified in the lodge bylaws. (The chair usually just announces the opening of nominations at the appointed time when they are in order. 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). JavaScript is disabled. petition(s) of _______________ for the degrees of Freemasonry,
Brother Secretary conduct a roll call. The presiding officer can continue presiding, even if he or she is one of the nominees for the office. stream
Doing this may allow an unpopular or hand-picked candidate to get the office even though he or she was not elected. 7. 15 0 obj
Nominations are taken for successive offices in the order they're listed in the bylaws. endobj
The position of Worshipful Master in the East occupies the most exalted position within the lodge. Lodge Election Procedures "Worshipful Master (WM) or Preceding Officer" 1. Illegal votes cast by legal voters count toward the total votes cast, but they don't count for any individual choice or candidate. When the nominations stop, the chair just declares nominations closed after making sure that no more nominations are forthcoming. In counting the votes, the balloting committee must not confuse a majority vote with the highest number of votes. _____
In balloting on a petition for affiliation, if one blackball
When two gavel knocks are heard, only officers of the lodge stand. WM: "The brethren of ____________ Lodge No. 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. Cell phones, chewing gum, crinkly snack wrappers and other distractions should be disallowed during a fraternity election (except during breaks). The "lex non scripta," or unwritten law of Freemasonry is derived from the traditions, usages and customs of . in Season 1, episode 2 of Lodge 49 on AMC, our hero Dud (Wyatt Russel) tells Blaise (David Pasquesi) "You'd have more people if the membership fee wasn't so high.". The Senior Deacon closes the lid on the ballot. 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. 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. If a member votes for more choices than positions to be elected, the vote is considered illegal. 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. Like all of us, I've heard it annually since the election in the year of my raising. It will take you step by step through the election process, help you to identify your responsibilities during each step, and provide suggestions to make your job easier. %
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. If the motion is adopted, the assembly can adjourn before the vote is announced if it has another meeting scheduled. 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. Talks] [Masonic
Often the extra ballot comes from someone who has entered the assembly but has not signed in to the meeting. {V++6o <>`ulr<>[lLDdTVVQ4Mt{<1iz;E NOTE: This is only a suggested procedure. *
Some Lodges have their bills paid automatically each month electronically, such as for utilities and telephones for example. The Worshipful Master orders the Wardens to take
It is for informational purposes only and does not necessarily reflect the views
Like any incidental main motion, an election can be decided by voice vote or by ballot. <>
2 0 obj and the Master may oblige him to do so. Development] [Education] [Masonic
<< /ProcSet [ /PDF /Text /ImageB /ImageC /ImageI ] /ColorSpace << /Cs1 7 0 R *.MXPY!~@Aa%^ N&4D1la`:v@Ai,^t #. 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. Secretary prepares ballots for each position to be elected. I've never see a script or outline, but it should proceed as follows: That sounds like the CA required verbiage. is more then one candidate for the degrees. 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. Only MMs vote. distribute the ballots for the first position to be voted upon. Polls closing or opening at times different than the times posted. Suddenly it's 3am. takes up his place at the tilers door. 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. Tradition holds that the Master of the lodge appoint a committee of three (usually Past Masters) to serve as a Tellers Committee. Whenever you need to specify a way to come up with nominees, as you probably will for situations your bylaws don't cover, you use a motion related to the method of nominations. 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 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. 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. majority of those voting being necessary for election, and the Worshipful
Remember brethren, a
Same in NM amd OR. 4. HWG l!$"' g]9=3>3U}Zo.wjyiQo?\>,:lFYE#q IBZ.rwi/A%f_N'_LDX It's used in the vast majority of situations in which members elect their officers at a meeting. A ballot shall be taken for the three degrees
You must come recommended by at least two existing Freemasons from the lodge you're petitioning. Adam is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in Pennsylvania and is employed as a Senior Manager of International Tax in Latrobe, PA. ;J
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the Senior Warden hands each ballot to the Junior Warden who announces