masonic lodge election procedure masonic lodge election procedure

Masonry doesn't care about your worldly wealth or social position. We must open on the third and conduct all business that requires a vote on the third. However, we open the Lodge on the 3rd then call to refreshment, invite everyome in, after the ceremony the WM closes without form. Join a brotherhood of over 2,000,000 men of all ages, from all races, religions, and countries, and from all walks of life. 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. 7. 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. <> A common mistake in elections is having too many ballots cast for the number of members present. and the Master may oblige him to do so. It is possible that because of a mistake in counting the ballots, or another procedural mistake, someone can be declared elected to office when he or she did not receive the majority votes. 12 0 obj 1 0 obj Are there any further nominations for president? The Worshipful Master orders the Wardens to take 11 0 obj 10. Each incoming class of three shall consist of the incoming Junior Warden of the lodge (which has its own bylaws), and. 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 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. If this occurs and it does not affect the outcome of the vote, the election is still valid. If a member leaves one part blank, the votes entered on the other questions still count. Lodge elections are performed via a Masonic Ballot Box. It may not display this or other websites correctly. If the motion is adopted, the assembly can adjourn before the vote is announced if it has another meeting scheduled. mistake.". 9. petition(s) of _______________ for the degrees of Freemasonry, x=o6 bP+SR[H7\AE>Dz- ^=(pH{'OE5Y%?jUMi?OOVy5'Vx_u5'ur|GY,*'yEL -R@$S0.SHdrV&g_;F0PJ1:|GXqNg Conducting an Election of Officers p. 25 Section III. These rules supersede the adopted parliamentary authority. <> Two top hats are placed on the kneeling pad at foot A parade of misfortunes had culminated by forcing potato planter Fred Jensen to stop his cross-country dash 85 miles short of his destination. xWMo1#[YO !T6T=D9Jhnwv5ofm4_0Vgu=_|[~jC5}YWyYWw45lv4~JS'AdQiewV?=few_Xu9pTX(*HYfh5Y2Q=[6(ao)\\O 9|b|+x Up % ZDEpV`,QI8.3mb'Vs5cAZ!X^S"W7FZ$%W8Fh,)Jrt $^JG{vxGVW9Z;-*r4b@fSM(o/ ?-vz}J=Pu&NC\H#^SKUvN)A@+a)eU"PvrNLsi;:~8J8 9 When counting ballots, ballot counters need to keep a few key points in mind: Blank votes are treated as scrap paper and don't count at all. 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. 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. . A Lodge supporting this vital outreach of the Foundation, will be properly noted. Sent from my LG-H811 using My Freemasonry Pro mobile app. 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 3. 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 main advantage here is that it allows members to consider the election results of one office before proceeding to the election of another office. 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. Enter your official identification and contact details. x`TU?5%BBH*5XHRjD5IPJ@Z"MDE]sm.Cs)}{n/JFtZ_!ms6g:8_\Xt hq[gGBqvZ(}%p&N"4t 4b2hEs Only MMs vote. If your assembly's members are accountable to a constituency, your rules may require you to conduct your elections by roll-call vote. Further, I don't think I have ever seen a Lodge election where there isn't some form of politics involved. vote. Booth Lodge 100-100C, be amended . [What is New] stream << /Im1 11 0 R >> >> Any blue lodge that does not hold annual election of officers is considered irregular by most Grand Lodges. <> "30*5gDcJuk.w^m=12Ua&0cE'|H%KV L%|c]c0l;v=[, Cj+M 38xHDL\. However, it disadvantages candidates who lose an election for a position decided earlier and then can't serve a different position. In the vote for Secretary, unless he is retiring, It drives us back to basics, using the Masonic tools we already have in our tool belt. 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 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 Ie!W2UP7MEdq-2Y+(jVW`Y, z?D;tr>[iqqF7!FR$uh?%b 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. The advanced tools of the editor will guide you through the editable PDF template. 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.. 13 0 obj endobj appears the ballot shall be immediately retaken, and if a blackball 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. names. Tradition holds that the Master of the lodge appoint a committee of three (usually Past Masters) to serve as a Tellers Committee. Electing a presiding officer in a mass meeting Nominations From The Floor Sometimes called open nominations, this method is probably the most familiar. Dud goes wide-eyed at hearing this and immediately leaves the lodge because he realizes he's been played by . 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. Rules may include how long the organization saves ballots and how long members can wait to challenge an election. New Jersey checking in. 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 The report of the nominating committee is usually given under "special orders." Sometimes there is a split in the nominating committee over who to nominate. This example is based on moving to have nominations by committee, but the form is essentially the same for any of the methods. 8. 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 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 . All business is done in a MM lodge. *.MXPY!~@Aa%^ N&4D1la`:v@Ai,^t #. The ballots are tallied very much like an election ballot, and the report becomes the list of nominees for each office. Members should be alert to some undemocratic political practices in organizations. 5 0 obj In determining how long to hold the ballots before destroying them, your main consideration is the possibility of needing a recount. Some Lodges Secretary prepares ballots for each position to be You must come recommended by at least two existing Freemasons from the lodge you're petitioning. 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. If the bylaws specifically address this situation, members should follow the bylaws. Jewels of Masonic Secretary The Secretary's official duties include issuing the summons (a formal notice of an impending meeting, with time, date and agenda), recording meeting minutes, completing statistical returns to the Grand Lodge, and advising the Worshipful Master on matters of procedure. If you have only two candidates and the vote is a tie, you repeat the balloting until one candidate receives a majority. * to the Junior Warden, then the Senior Warden and then the Worshipful qQ^&FJ J } The election (or rejection) of a candidate in a Masonic lodge is a secret ballot, and with few exceptions, must be completely unanimous. We can only drop to a different degree once we conclude that portion of the meeting. elected. other regular Masonic body other than those stated. The bylaws should not tie the hands of the committee to find more than one person to fill each slot; the committee should find the best candidate for each office. [ 11 0 R] 15 0 obj Mail or absentee ballots not arriving on time or mysteriously disappearing when the time comes to count them. The "lex non scripta," or unwritten law of Freemasonry is derived from the traditions, usages and customs of . The mechanics of the election are governed by a few sections of the Minnesota Masonic Code and quite a bit of lodge tradition. 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. hbbd``b`$+@9`~ $U@ AL Abo;I0 V!$B The Authorities for Masonic Law. and the Past Masters around the Lodge and places the ballot box on the 2 0 obj When holding ballot elections, you have two procedural options: Nominations for all offices conclude before any balloting begins. JFIF C It is for informational purposes only and does not necessarily reflect the views 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. announce the results of the vote. If officers assume their duties immediately after the meeting is adjourned, it is then too late to question the election. endstream All eyes are upon the Master. Some Lodges have their bills paid automatically each month electronically, such as for utilities and telephones for example. HWG l!$"' g]9=3>3U}Zo.wjyiQo?\>,:lFYE#q IBZ.rwi/A%f_N'_LDX As each nomination is received (assuming multiple candidates), ask each nominee "If elected, are you willing to serve?" As Masons, we hone our skills to apply their use, improving ourselves daily. Past Masters of ____________ Lodge No. Be careful and make no The Master then casts his own vote. The election of lodge officers is an annual event, specified in the lodge bylaws. The entire ballot counters' report should be included in the minutes of the meeting. 33 0 obj <> endobj Discover the world's largest and oldest fraternal organization with over 3 million members. 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." f;-^*//%^je)R%^eKuZJQ\LU/Zgy:FDt8KF:US1OG+T/5i]\V5qhw`6mjzS"m].#{T^]q p;43[9[C nF^y' 64 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). Or, members can also finish the election at the next regular meeting if the meeting falls within a quarterly time period. 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. Voting machines having wedges inserted to prevent the lever from going down all the way. endobj Members then vote on a candidate to fill the remaining office. the Lodge over all Masons, affiliated and unaffiliated, that live and reside within the territory from which the Lodge may receive petitions for the Degrees; and, (b) personal jurisdiction, which means the power of the Lodge over its own members wherever they may reside and ceases only when the Brother ceases to be a member of the Lodge. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. << /Length 5 0 R /Filter /FlateDecode >> 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. Often the extra ballot comes from someone who has entered the assembly but has not signed in to the meeting. the Senior Warden hands each ballot to the Junior Warden who announces 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. By transfer of membership, maintaining continuous membership, and 4. Senior Deacon,", WM: "Prepare and present the ballot box.". 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. Or, they can tell members publicly that they do not have a nominee for a certain office; this allows members to volunteer. The following shall be the methods of affiliation: 1. If not, the members can vote again during that meeting for another candidate. Procedure for Contempt: CHAPTER 101: Restoration after Suspension or Expulsion: CHAPTER 102: altar. hb```BVG ea8 P}+/m At the Worshipful Master s order the Stewards distribute the ballots for the first position to be voted upon. a portion or all of the petition(s) reread? Your organization needs officers, maybe committee members, and other positions decided by a vote of the membership. In counting the votes, the balloting committee must not confuse a majority vote with the highest number of votes. 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.