The Committee on Masonic Education and Information of . For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. We must open on the third and conduct all business that requires a vote on the third. election of officers in April each year. Only MMs vote. 6. I guess that would depend on the jurisdiction. 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. 4. This method of nominations is based on the principle of allowing all voters to make nominations for all offices by completing a nominating ballot. qQ^&FJ J } Your members may wind up voting for Mr. Low as the compromise candidate. 98% sure that it is. Development] [Education] [Masonic 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). If someone is not willing to serve, the committee needs to meet again and find another candidate. xU]o@|_cZR%q"b$*/}E(k nK6hb'_ D(|}5Dsq PBY%_'Dru.{,dW9PeOw9 d6!=#3r/iby+4C~9^-GT.d A ballot shall be taken for the three degrees When holding ballot elections, you have two procedural options: Nominations for all offices conclude before any balloting begins. 234 0 obj <> endobj endobj When three gavel knocks are given by the Master ALL in attendance in the lodge stands up. yy MWY*^K$@48SyFHv! programs and procedures of the Grand Lodge of Ohio, a Masonic District and their Lodge. endobj so presented that each officer and member shall cast his ballot It's used in the vast majority of situations in which members elect their officers at a meeting. endobj Voting by ballot enables a member to vote for a candidate not formally nominated by writing in a name a write-in vote. All Articles] [Masonic ", WM: "Fair (cloudy) in the South, clear (dark) in the visiting brother take his place so that the tiler may cast his 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. 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. stream Apply a check mark to indicate the choice wherever . 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. <> Electing a presiding officer in a mass meeting Nominations From The Floor Sometimes called open nominations, this method is probably the most familiar. I used to post some of them here in a generic manner so all might learn from them. Both a bank's president and janitor can apply for membership, and they're considered equally qualified. For this reason, members should listen carefully to the report of the ballot counters' committee. endobj 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. You must log in or register to reply here. Westside Toastmasters is located in Los Angeles and Santa Monica, California. 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. While the . Books Online] [E-Books] [Library Of Members then vote on a candidate to fill the remaining office. To help with the Masonic experience at Lodge meetings, you were allowed to open on any degree, and use the Chamber Like all of us, I've heard it annually since the election in the year of my raising. Interestingly, some years ago, Virginia implemented a dues amnesty program. 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. When the nominations stop, the chair just declares nominations closed after making sure that no more nominations are forthcoming. endobj 8. <> 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. been rejected by a Lodge shall again be proposed within six months after If your assembly's members are accountable to a constituency, your rules may require you to conduct your elections by roll-call vote. My Freemasonry | Freemason Information and Discussion Forum. Talks] [Masonic 6 0 obj 6 Y~0 0@ In the vote for Secretary, unless he is retiring, 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 Like any incidental main motion, an election can be decided by voice vote or by ballot. 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. Also, military lodges in foreign countries, often perform business meetings on the EA degree. 6. A parade of misfortunes had culminated by forcing potato planter Fred Jensen to stop his cross-country dash 85 miles short of his destination. WM: "Brother Junior Warden, how stands the ballot in However, we open the Lodge on the 3rd then call to refreshment, invite everyome in, after the ceremony the WM closes without form. It varies! In balloting on a petition for affiliation, if one blackball 587 As JPM of my lodge, I've been asked to serve in this role for our upcoming officer elections. Master. 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. Votes cast by illegal voters must not be counted at all, not even included in the number of total votes cast. By transfer of membership, maintaining continuous membership, and 4. Voting machines having wedges inserted to prevent the lever from going down all the way. 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 Authorities for Masonic Law. (After June 15, individual counties and cities could choose to continue their own meeting limitations, in which case those limitations would continue in force.) %`y`aSW2.9]!BBI Masonic Lodge Election Procedure HB89 - Tightens the time frames for issuance of firearms licenses by probate judges. 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 It is for informational purposes only and does not necessarily reflect the views hb```e``b`f``cg@ ~}"S-(1I)|p(0)P5oDurCAfG3f1,-- d$WZ3bVasYf`$exq> )Zg The balloting committee can still count the ballots. << /ProcSet [ /PDF /Text /ImageB /ImageC /ImageI ] /ColorSpace << /Cs1 7 0 R 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. 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. Some Lodges endobj 33 0 obj <> endobj 246 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<75266C93CDC0804A95BB4A6C74B63ADD>]/Index[234 30]/Info 233 0 R/Length 67/Prev 302045/Root 235 0 R/Size 264/Type/XRef/W[1 2 1]>>stream ", WM: "How in the West, Brother Senior Warden? The Secretary announces the results of the vote, a By signing a petition for the formation of a new lodge, [ Chapter 39] 2. Join a brotherhood of over 2,000,000 men of all ages, from all races, religions, and countries, and from all walks of life. <> <> MAKE SURE YOU READ YOUR GRAND LODGE CODE! In determining how long to hold the ballots before destroying them, your main consideration is the possibility of needing a recount. 9. 127. These could lead The Constitution is clear on the proper procedure Maine Masonic Charitable Foundation. <> 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. the Senior Warden hands each ballot to the Junior Warden who announces LODGE VISITATION - A PRIVILEGE. stream Does any brother wish to have once petition the same or any other Lodge in the jurisdiction. The motion to have a vote for a particular office recounted needs a second, is not debatable, and takes a majority vote to adopt. report from the investigating committee. If something doesn't quite add up, a member should question it during the meeting. After the period during which a recount can be conducted has passed, you don't need to keep the ballots. <> This saves time and allows for polling at a time and place other than a meeting. stream States or elsewhere. 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. When called on to give the report, the chairman of the nominating committee states the nominations for each office. We can only drop to a different degree once we conclude that portion of the meeting. announce the results of the vote. 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. other regular Masonic body other than those stated. I've never see a script or outline, but it should proceed as follows: That sounds like the CA required verbiage. Suggested Procedure For Electing Lodge Officers. Your group's rules and customs determine when floor nominations are accepted. accept?" 15 0 obj Introduction. If this occurs and it does not affect the outcome of the vote, the election is still valid. 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 Worshipful Master orders the Wardens to take may use different methods of electing officers. Discover the world's largest and oldest fraternal organization with over 3 million members. Elections are decided by majority vote unless your bylaws provide differently. All eyes are upon the Master. ^. Masonic etiquette decries anyone who does not obey the gavel. endobj Balloting must continue until a candidate receives a majority. %PDF-1.5 292, elections may be held in a lodge opened in an EA as long as there is an EA attending. endobj It's used in the vast majority of situations in which members elect their officers at a meeting. (or for affiliation) which has received a unanimously favorable No candidate whose application has Further, I don't think I have ever seen a Lodge election where there isn't some form of politics involved. Blogs] [Links] Only MMs vote. The best thing an organization can do is adopt rules that tell how to proceed if a member challenges an election or if a person is illegally elected to office and has begun to serve. or opinion The requirement for election by ballot is a majority, and a candidate has no obligation to withdraw just because he polls low numbers. endobj Secretary prepares ballots for each position to be 3. 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! 6 0 obj altar.". Lodge elections are performed via a Masonic Ballot Box. Clearwater Lodge No. By establishing plural membership in a North Carolina Customarily (although it's not required), the chair accomplishes this by calling three times for more nominations. endobj 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. Nominations don't have to be seconded, but it's not out of order for members to second a nomination to signal their endorsement. hb```BVG ea8 P}+/m Or, they can tell members publicly that they do not have a nominee for a certain office; this allows members to volunteer. If a member votes for more choices than positions to be elected, the vote is considered illegal. 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. position north of the altar. After each nomination, the president repeats the name to the assembly. 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 late-arriving member can vote only with other members' consent by majority vote. If the motion is adopted, the assembly can adjourn before the vote is announced if it has another meeting scheduled. ", JW: "Fair (cloudy) in the South, Worshipful. WM: "Have all of the brethren of _______________ 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. 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. 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. When two gavel knocks are heard, only officers of the lodge stand. Some practices to watch out for include: Ballot boxes being stuffed or written ballots being changed. << /Length 12 0 R /Type /XObject /Subtype /Image /Width 610 /Height 521 /ColorSpace 2. If no candidate is found, the committee can leave that slot open for nominations from the floor. This method gives voters an idea of the group's preferences without holding an actual election. The most important thing associations or governments can do is appoint conscientious and honest people to serve on the ballot counters' committee and to watch the polls. [Feedback]. 4 0 obj Conducting an Election of Officers p. 25 Section III. 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. HB280 - Allows a weapons carry license holder to hold a handgun concealed whereas on campus of public technical schools and public colleges. 10 0 obj If you had to move before you finished receiving the three degrees of the blue lodge, you'd need lodge B to perform courtesy work. The minutes may say, for example, "Eric Olson was elected to the board for two years. The election (or rejection) of a candidate in a Masonic lodge is a secret ballot, and with few exceptions, must be completely unanimous. <> vote. rejection. 75-3 METHODS OF AFFILIATION. 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. 2 0 obj You must come recommended by at least two existing Freemasons from the lodge you're petitioning. Ballot voting is the preferred voting method in situations in which knowing how all the members voted isn't desirable. It is the duty of every member present to vote, In Europe, it takes often a year, to advance per degree. 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 motion to open nominations, when made by a member, is usually a motion to reopen nominations after they have been closed. If there is a question about the way a ballot is marked, the ballot counters should take it to the presiding officer. distribute the ballots for the first position to be voted upon. JFIF C mistake.". Senior Deacon,", WM: "Prepare and present the ballot box.". <> Are there any further nominations for president? This requires secretaries (and possibly grand secretaries if different jurisdictions) to get involved, but is a somewhat common occurrence. place with the Senior and Junior Wardens alternating in calling the 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. Robert's Rules on elections are very straightforward after what is often a politically charged prequel of nominating and campaigning. %PDF-1.7 % If not, Brother An election is really nothing more than the handling of an assumed motion . Section 3. Lodge to vote, the Master should invite the tiler in and have a )GT?=Sk8&o9sU|$gv}~3H'>}3DReeZCZ2HN7.WadE-lUG|1pU]d. A member shouldn't offer more than one nomination to a position if there are several seats for the same office such as for nominees to a board or a committee until all other members have had the opportunity to make nominations. For every expense, large or small, the Secretary is to write a voucher which is to be countersigned by the Worshipful Master and passed on to the Treasurer for payment. A properly planned and executed meeting results in good participation. . When presenting the nominations or taking the vote for a list of offices, the president should follow the order of offices that appears in the bylaws. endobj Only one (1) official website per Lodge will be recognized by the Grand Lodge and linked to by the Grand Lodge of Georgia's website. State which position is open for election or re-election, and invite members of the organization to come forward with their nominations for the position. _____ It may not display this or other websites correctly. Grand Lodge Dues 24 Conducting an Election of Officers 24-25 Section . The Masonic rituals provided here are as practiced under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Nevada, circa 1986. 2 0 obj Some organizations add nominees to the ballot only if the name is submitted on a petition signed by some minimum number of members. )Cv`3!VOYe%K]'d4'kH&]x*"W.L+P|WUyl>TlUTZZh=7wE%4 DoH+5%Y+*:*2*&^Ol\Td4G]:^[DdVXQn*mNI#]Vv?v:]W6x H|z=|-!q1 oF?$Ul(V1C:[jhDe4nsl65gpr'fKuo2a0$T$W.6 ` 5SR_? JavaScript is disabled. [Articles] [Masonic 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. 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. 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 Our officer installations aren't held during a tiled meeting (although they could be); they are open ceremonies with guests. /Rotate 0 >> it to the Master who inspects the ballot box making sure that the The assembly then votes again on the other office. 3. salute with the Worshipful Master. 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 common mistake in elections is having too many ballots cast for the number of members present. petition(s) of _______________ for the degrees of Freemasonry, The Senior Deacon closes the lid on the ballot. To which Blaise replies "Yeah, 200 bucks is pretty steep.". The election process may be the easiest part of deciding who handles a particular job in the organization. of Freemasonry, nor webmaster nor those of any Persons serving on the committee can be nominated for office. 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. elected (rejected) Mister ___________ for the degrees of Chapter 63 covers general voting and Chapter 68 covers the secret ballot. 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 Lodge web page must not link to or be linked to by any website where a conflict . [Feedback]. Polls closing or opening at times different than the times posted. The appointive officers of the Grand Lodge, save the Deputy Grand Secretary, shall be ",#(7),01444'9=82. One vote against the petitioner generally rejects him. If the organization uses a nominating committee and then takes nominations from the floor, the secretary records the nominating committee's report first and then lists nominations for each office in the order they are presented as given by the members from the floor. In a voice vote, the winner is easy to determine and the vote is over when someone wins the election. At the Worshipful Master s order the Stewards distribute the ballots for the first position to be voted upon. 0 endstream endobj startxref The Senior Deacon then takes up a unobserved by others, so that the secrecy of the ballot shall be Masonic Etiquette Summary: Masonic etiquette is simply the rules of good manners which make lodge meetings pleasant for everyone. endstream endobj startxref Masonic Lodges, Masonic Organizations, and Youth Orders may conduct in-person meetings and events in compliance with county and city restrictions, if any. . 7. 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. Here is how: You must first find a Masonic lodge location near you, contact them, and ask for a petition to join. 8. Secretary prepares ballots for each position to be elected. Talks] [Masonic These Masonic rituals represent three degrees which are taken in sequence. <> endobj In a ballot vote, after the ballot counters have collected all the ballots, a member can make the motion to adjourn. If members haven't used the machine before, it may be wise to show them how to use it the day before the election. If you become a Free Mason, you will: Join both the oldest and the largest fraternity in the world. A poor meeting achieves the opposite results. Register a free account today to become a member! 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 a member leaves one part blank, the votes entered on the other questions still count. These elections are to vote on new top lodge officers in the blue lodge. <> 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. Blogs] [Links] Some Lodges have their bills paid automatically each month electronically, such as for utilities and telephones for example. should be destroyed. Collectively, these motions are known as motions related to nominations. At this time the Tradition holds that the Master of the lodge appoint a committee of three (usually Past Masters) to serve as a Tellers Committee. The secretary repeats the vote after recording it, to ensure accuracy. It is considered a faux pas to cross . First, the Entered Apprentice Degree, second, the Fellow Craft Degree and finally, the Master Mason Degree. If members adjourn before an election is complete, they should set the time for an adjourned meeting to finish the election. In the vote for the position of Worshipful Master 5 0 obj [What is Freemasonry] [Leadership 14 0 R /BitsPerComponent 8 /Filter /FlateDecode >> If the bylaws specifically address this situation, members should follow the bylaws. Doing this may allow an unpopular or hand-picked candidate to get the office even though he or she was not elected. The presiding officer can continue presiding, even if he or she is one of the nominees for the office. It is for informational purposes only and does not necessarily reflect the views The "lex non scripta," or unwritten law of Freemasonry is derived from the traditions, usages and customs of . Nominees do not have to leave the room during the nominations, when the vote is taken, or when the vote is counted. However only Masters can vote. Business meetings are held on the EA degree in European lodge. Adam is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in Pennsylvania and is employed as a Senior Manager of International Tax in Latrobe, PA. When using this procedure, make it clear that a person can be nominated for and elected to more than one office. The above procedure is repeated for each position or I /8ZzeL%kxF~/a&MBkd/cK"zBARqG(/%:}4Q;l@)R^M,s;p Rx P~DV(GR,&Gj;v}yh/5F3ibD,eZJ The entire ballot counters' report should be included in the minutes of the meeting. Each question on a multipart ballot is counted as a separate ballot. 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.. The Senior Deacon obtains the ballot box and presents Each officer and member, before voting, must exchange the As each nomination is received (assuming multiple candidates), ask each nominee "If elected, are you willing to serve?" 5 0 obj Since it is the obligation of every brother of the The presiding officer votes along with all the other members, although she is never allowed to cast a tie-breaker in a ballot vote. altar. 2. endobj 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. and the Past Masters around the Lodge and places the ballot box on the 1 0 obj Because fraud does happen in the election process, members need to be alert and watchful of the election process. 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. Nominations are taken for successive offices in the order they're listed in the bylaws. An officer election form is a document used by groups, clubs, and organizations to elect leaders and fill vacant positions. The election process may be the easiest part of deciding who handles a particular job in the organization. gjzUS&31+W&nck')*Uf{|mON6E4GKIpFT(o o.RJ MXqy-) MR If not, the members can vote again during that meeting for another candidate. cubes in the box. endobj :7YA/gOwNw|\g[u|I}?F. 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.