masonic lodge election procedure

In a ballot vote, after the ballot counters have collected all the ballots, a member can make the motion to adjourn. The secretary repeats the vote after recording it, to ensure accuracy. When using this procedure, make it clear that a person can be nominated for and elected to more than one office. x`TU?5%BBH*5XHRjD5IPJ@Z"MDE]sm.Cs)}{n/JFtZ_!ms6g:8_\Xt hq[gGBqvZ(}%p&N"4t 4b2hEs 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. 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. Your members may wind up voting for Mr. Low as the compromise candidate. once petition the same or any other Lodge in the jurisdiction. Masonry doesn't care about your worldly wealth or social position. 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. My Freemasonry | Freemason Information and Discussion Forum. Freemason Requirements | Dallas Freemasonry The Politics of Freemasonry | Freemason Information Lodge Visitation - A Privilege - The Masonic Trowel Lindale Masonic Lodge: 200 W. Margaret Street, Lindale, TX 75771 Main Location The HUB: 304 E. Ferguson Street, Tyler, TX 75702 Noonday Community Center: 16662 CR 196, Tyler, TX 75703 St.. takes up his place at the tilers door. However, we open the Lodge on the 3rd then call to refreshment, invite everyome in, after the ceremony the WM closes without form. 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. Do Freemasons elect their top leadership? - Freemasonry Report 6. {V++6o <>`ulr<>[lLDdTVVQ4Mt{<1iz;E No officer of a Masonic lodge may take up his elected or appointed duties until formally installed to his office by proper authority. Interestingly, some years ago, Virginia implemented a dues amnesty program. 0 % One of the most important franchises which the Masonic character offers is THE ELECTION OF MASTER FOR THE ENSUING TWELVE MONTHS. How to Conduct an Election of Officers (with Pictures) - wikiHow When the nominations stop, the chair just declares nominations closed after making sure that no more nominations are forthcoming. of Freemasonry, nor webmaster nor those of any 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. Some Lodges REG. Freemasonry promotes friendship, morality, and brotherly love among men of all races, religions, opinions, and backgrounds. 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. Talks] [Masonic Each incoming class of three shall consist of the incoming Junior Warden of the lodge (which has its own bylaws), and. 4 0 obj ", JW: "Fair (cloudy) in the South, Worshipful. 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. 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. endobj charge of the Ballot and they pick up the hats, take them to the petition(s) of _______________ for the degrees of Freemasonry, An "irregular lodge" can be described as the type of Lodge that does have a charter from a Grand Lodge, but other Grand Lodges do not recognize its Grand lodge. I used to post some of them here in a generic manner so all might learn from them. endobj After each nomination, the president repeats the name to the assembly. The presiding officer can continue presiding, even if he or she is one of the nominees for the office. The brother responds. In this case, the members must vote again until one candidate receives a majority vote. 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 officers | My Freemasonry | Freemason Information and 3. Once you're a Master Mason, you've got a few options. "30*5gDcJuk.w^m=12Ua&0cE'|H%KV L%|c]c0l;v=[, Cj+M 38xHDL\. It's never in order to vote Yes or No (or For or Against) a candidate when electing persons to office. Conducting Local Union Officer Elections | U.S. Department of Labor endobj Customarily (although it's not required), the chair accomplishes this by calling three times for more nominations. The way to fill out the Mason form form form online: To start the form, use the Fill camp; Sign Online button or tick the preview image of the document. A motion to open nominations, when made by a member, is usually a motion to reopen nominations after they have been closed. By absolute demit, [ Chapter 76] 3. Here is how: You must first find a Masonic lodge location near you, contact them, and ask for a petition to join. The Master may approve a collective ballot if there In either case, you need to appoint reliable ballot counters to hand out and collect ballots and to count the votes. $.' << /Length 5 0 R /Filter /FlateDecode >> Books Online] [E-Books] [Library Of Masonic Lodges, Masonic Organizations, and Youth Orders may conduct in-person meetings and events in compliance with county and city restrictions, if any. 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 4 0 obj Two top hats are placed on the kneeling pad at foot [Articles] [Masonic Grand Secretary "Stuff" Information for Lodge Secretaries - December Lodge Transfers : r/freemasonry - reddit Grand Lodge Dues 24 Conducting an Election of Officers 24-25 Section . Blogs] [Links] 1. The committee then has to find a new nominee, and the members have to vote again. <> Election of Officers of a Lodge: CHAPTER 55: Installation of Officers of a Lodge: CHAPTER 56: Officers of a Lodge, Term, Resignation, and Title . Your group's rules and customs determine when floor nominations are accepted. inviolably preserved. Lodge Election Procedures "Worshipful Master (WM) or Preceding Officer" 1. WB Christopher J. Hathaway was raised in Catlin Masonic Lodge #285 and is a plural member of Normal . PDF The NJ Freemason Spring 2019 - Grand Lodge of New Jersey salute with the Worshipful Master. You must come recommended by at least two existing Freemasons from the lodge you're petitioning. In Texas, per Art. 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. If they don't set a time for an adjourned meeting, they can call a special meeting (if the bylaws allow this). 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 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. As JPM of my lodge, I've been asked to serve in this role for our upcoming officer elections. PDF Election of Lodge Officers Handbook - mdmoose.org A Lodge supporting this vital outreach of the Foundation, will be properly noted. 127. so presented that each officer and member shall cast his ballot <>>> PDF CONFORMING TO MASONIC ETIQUETTE - Grand Lodge of Iowa 1. 33 0 obj <> endobj 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. Club elections and officers are an integral part of the organization and must be conducted according to the group's bylaws and rules. However, calling nominations from your seat is often impractical, so you may want to adopt a more formal nomination process. 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. HWG l!$"' g]9=3>3U}Zo.wjyiQo?\>,:lFYE#q IBZ.rwi/A%f_N'_LDX :7YA/gOwNw|\g[u|I}?F. The Antimasonic party, whose avowed goal was the destruction of the Masonic Lodge and other secret societies, was the first influential third party in the United States and introduced the. All Articles] [Masonic At the Worshipful Master s order the Stewards distribute the ballots for the first position to be voted upon. 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. (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. A ballot shall be taken for the three degrees Illegal votes are, Two or more marked ballots folded together (together they count as only one illegal vote). Officer Election Form Template | Jotform 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. 8. % The election process may be the easiest part of deciding who handles a particular job in the organization. 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. 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. Annual Election of Lodge Officers - Blogger 6. Your organization needs officers, maybe committee members, and other positions decided by a vote of the membership. The entire ballot counters' report should be included in the minutes of the meeting. 5. 7. _____ and place it on the Lodge No. Jump to content The Official RONR Q & A Forums 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. Booth Lodge 100-100C, be amended . endobj Dues & Don'ts of Getting Into a Masonic Lodge | Freemason Network Master informs the successful individual as follows: "Brother JFIF C The secretary places all nominations in the minutes. It may not display this or other websites correctly. As soon as the committee reports, it is discharged from its duties. 12 0 obj endobj Members then vote on a candidate to fill the remaining office. 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. Ballot voting is by far the surest way to allow for the free expression of the will of the membership. The Master then casts his own vote. Freemasonry (or Brother __________for affiliation)." election of Trustees to Board - General Discussion - The Official RONR majority of those voting being necessary for election, and the Worshipful Votes cast by illegal voters must not be counted at all, not even included in the number of total votes cast. visiting brother take his place so that the tiler may cast his If a member notices a mistake in procedure, he or she should immediately make the chair and assembly aware of his concerns. After the person elected to office assumes the position, it is too late to nullify an illegal election. Grand Lodge Committee on Masonic Education: CHAPTER 31: Lodge Service Commission: CHAPTER 32: . These elections happen in the end of the year to elect the following years leadership team. The assembly then votes again on the other office. By transfer of membership, maintaining continuous membership, and 4. - "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 . Organizations can create and write election rules to correct this mistake. In Europe, it takes often a year, to advance per degree. The Lodge web page must not link to or be linked to by any website where a conflict . In counting the votes, the balloting committee must not confuse a majority vote with the highest number of votes. The committee should meet, carefully review the membership list, and select the people who they think will do the best job in each office. Don't implement a new process to 450 lodges until it is . Brother Secretary conduct a roll call. In the vote for Secretary, unless he is retiring, endobj If you have a nominating committee in place, ask this group to declare their nominee for a specific officer role. Note: Prior to opening elections, the WM will go over prerequisites, eligibility, exceptions, nominations, limitations and procedures in accordance with Lodge By Laws and the ACGL Code, sections 2.21 through 2.29. Procedure for Contempt: CHAPTER 101: Restoration after Suspension or Expulsion: CHAPTER 102: [ 11 0 R] The appointive officers of the Grand Lodge, save the Deputy Grand Secretary, shall be It may not display this or other websites correctly. These Masonic rituals represent three degrees which are taken in sequence. MAKE SURE YOU READ YOUR GRAND LODGE CODE! Nominations don't have to be seconded, but it's not out of order for members to second a nomination to signal their endorsement. Westside Toastmasters is located in Los Angeles and Santa Monica, California. If a member votes for more choices than positions to be elected, the vote is considered illegal. Yes, every year Masonic Lodges do have elections. Masonic Lodge Officer Duties white ball elects; a black cube rejects. some brother of the Lodge other than the Secretary should tally and A late-arriving member can vote only with other members' consent by majority vote. Collectively, these motions are known as motions related to nominations. The Senior Deacon closes the lid on the ballot. 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. How Not to Be Stumped on Fraternity Elections - omegafi.com yy MWY*^K$@48SyFHv! The committee must carefully review the eligibility requirements for each office and see that the nominees meet these requirements. 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. the South? 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. Sometimes there is a split in the nominating committee over who to nominate. endstream endobj startxref The report of the nominating committee is usually given under "special orders." >> /ExtGState << /Gs1 13 0 R >> /Font << /Tc1 10 0 R /TT2 9 0 R >> /XObject 1. <> ___________, you have been elected to serve as ____________ of The Necessity of Lodge Audits | Freemason Information 11 0 obj and the Master may oblige him to do so. ", WM: "How in the West, Brother Senior Warden? If members leave during the meeting so that a quorum is not present, those offices not yet elected must be put off until an adjourned meeting or until the next meeting. 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. 6 0 obj States or elsewhere. or opinion 587 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. Masonic Rituals for the Blue Lodge - Ephesians 5:11 'xzwQ38/4b|T}R-g|7uhw 4!"icE)S7AEo %PDF-1.5 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. Talks] [Masonic %PDF-1.5 If you have only two candidates and the vote is a tie, you repeat the balloting until one candidate receives a majority. <> 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. A lodge which does not honor its Master, no matter how they personally feel about the man, himself, lacks Masonic . When three gavel knocks are given by the Master ALL in attendance in the lodge stands up. The requirement for election by ballot is a majority, and a candidate has no obligation to withdraw just because he polls low numbers. endstream endobj 37 0 obj <>stream Election Master/Judge parliamentary procedure - My Freemasonry [What is Freemasonry] [Leadership Introduction. . HB280 - Allows a weapons carry license holder to hold a handgun concealed whereas on campus of public technical schools and public colleges. elected. All officers resume their stations and If the lodge is not able to contact the individual after a reasonable period of time, the non-paying Mason is dropped (suspended). 75-3 METHODS OF AFFILIATION. WM: "Have all of the brethren of _______________ 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. A website endorsed by a Lodge will be considered the official Lodge website, and will be subject to these criteria and rules. Balloting must continue until a candidate receives a majority. If the ballot vote decides an election, you're instructed to write the name of the nominee of your choice on your ballot. A person can nominate himself or herself. How to Join a Freemason Lodge - dummies Motions to close nominations are usually unnecessary because the nomination process simply continues until no one wishes to make further nominations. 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. 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 Since it is the obligation of every brother of the Fund raising is underway. Ie!W2UP7MEdq-2Y+(jVW`Y, z?D;tr>[iqqF7!FR$uh?%b Like any incidental main motion, an election can be decided by voice vote or by ballot. altar.". Because fraud does happen in the election process, members need to be alert and watchful of the election process. <> j]Ic[faPhgcP0U0.!boS/]9[[3+:;:+:Q1DX. If members are voting for offices that have staggered terms or that last more than a year, the secretary should include in the minutes when the term expires. 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. endobj 10 Mistakes You Should Avoid As A Freemason - MasonicFind The motion to have a vote for a particular office recounted needs a second, is not debatable, and takes a majority vote to adopt. The Authorities for Masonic Law. (or for affiliation) which has received a unanimously favorable Get To Know Ohio Freemasonry's Grand Secretary | Freemason You are using an out of date browser. << /Length 12 0 R /Type /XObject /Subtype /Image /Width 610 /Height 521 /ColorSpace 4. 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! Conducting an Election of Officers p. 25 Section III. accept?" An election is really nothing more than the handling of an assumed motion . WM: "Brother Junior Warden, how stands the ballot in 10. PDF 2015 01 30 Installation of Officers of Local Lodges << /Im1 11 0 R >> >> On the Approaching Election to the Masonic Chairs 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. . % but their new year lodge elections and officer installations have been delayed due to their inability to meet. It is for informational purposes only and does not necessarily reflect the views Brethren, I declare that you have Join us as we strive to make good men better by teaching universal values through the use of geometry and architecture metaphors. By establishing plural membership in a North Carolina The ballots are tallied very much like an election ballot, and the report becomes the list of nominees for each office. If not, Brother We can only drop to a different degree once we conclude that portion of the meeting. Is it permissible to hold election of officers in an EA lodge? (rap). In the vote for the position of Worshipful Master to the Junior Warden, then the Senior Warden and then the Worshipful distinctive apron has been designated by the Grand Lodge is present at a Masonic meeting or communication, he may wear the apron so designated. endstream 6 Y~0 0@ These elections are to vote on new top lodge officers in the blue lodge. 14 0 obj Masonic Etiquette Summary: Masonic etiquette is simply the rules of good manners which make lodge meetings pleasant for everyone. <> Maine Masonic Charitable Foundation. 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). After nominations are closed, the vote is taken on each nominee in the order in which they were nominated. One vote against the petitioner generally rejects him. Each officer and member, before voting, must exchange the 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. His term expires July, 2014.". Apply a check mark to indicate the choice wherever . Masonic Etiquette And Protocol - The Masonic Trowel 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.". 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. It varies! A properly planned and executed meeting results in good participation. time immemorial. Rules may include how long the organization saves ballots and how long members can wait to challenge an election. endobj ballot drawer is empty and that there are both white balls and black