The Worshipful Master orders the Wardens to take 0 distinctive apron has been designated by the Grand Lodge is present at a Masonic meeting or communication, he may wear the apron so designated. 9 0 obj At the Worshipful Masters order the Wardens to 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. place with the Senior and Junior Wardens alternating in calling the 0 Dues & Don'ts of Getting Into a Masonic Lodge | Freemason Network The following shall be the methods of affiliation: 1. Join us as we strive to make good men better by teaching universal values through the use of geometry and architecture metaphors. Masonry doesn't care about your worldly wealth or social position. Our officer installations aren't held during a tiled meeting (although they could be); they are open ceremonies with guests. {V++6o <>`ulr<>[lLDdTVVQ4Mt{<1iz;E charge of the Ballot and they pick up the hats, take them to the 234 0 obj <> endobj Be careful and make no Clearwater Lodge No. it to the Master who inspects the ballot box making sure that the 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. Same in NM amd OR. distribute the ballots for the first position to be voted upon. 9. The ballots are tallied very much like an election ballot, and the report becomes the list of nominees for each office. Another problematic practice to watch out for is nominating someone for office who is not eligible. The Master may approve a collective ballot if there 1.01 Charter: This Lodge exists by virtue of a Charter, dated 20th day of January, 1892 from the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Florida, and is located in the City of Clearwater, in the County of Pinellas, in the State of Florida. 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. Voting by ballot enables a member to vote for a candidate not formally nominated by writing in a name a write-in vote. * (rap once). Lodge Visitation - A Privilege - The Masonic Trowel report from the investigating committee. I've never see a script or outline, but it should proceed as follows: That sounds like the CA required verbiage. endobj 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. 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. This requires secretaries (and possibly grand secretaries if different jurisdictions) to get involved, but is a somewhat common occurrence. Welcome | Grand Lodge of NC WM: "The brethren of ____________ Lodge No. <> Westside Toastmasters is located in Los Angeles and Santa Monica, California. 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. In Europe, it takes often a year, to advance per degree. PDF Guidelines for Subordinate Lodge Balloting - Grand Lodge of NC altar. If not, Brother Business meetings are held on the EA degree in European lodge. [What is New] election of officers in April each year. A properly planned and executed meeting results in good participation. Tradition holds that the Master of the lodge appoint a committee of three (usually Past Masters) to serve as a Tellers Committee. A member may for indecorous or unmasonic conduct be excluded from a single meeting of the lodge. 10. endobj In Texas, per Art. This saves time and allows for polling at a time and place other than a meeting. Maine Masonic Charitable Foundation. A Lodge member who has held the highest office in the Lodge has for life a Masonic position of his own. >> /ExtGState << /Gs1 13 0 R >> /Font << /Tc1 10 0 R /TT2 9 0 R >> /XObject A motion to open nominations, when made by a member, is usually a motion to reopen nominations after they have been closed. Locals file for May 6 city, school board elections; many unopposed Nominations for each office are followed by the election for that office. You are using an out of date browser. Fund raising is underway. Ballot voting is the preferred voting method in situations in which knowing how all the members voted isn't desirable. Collectively, these motions are known as motions related to nominations. Confusion concerning the balloting process generally derives from lodge traditions being introduced into the elements of balloting that are not fully explained in our Code. The Senior Deacon presents the ballot to each officer *(cM YiVo~r049>Kwz,8*#]qVLB`l:HM\7Gj#?#PV(F"y@f4 @hbe2q&8%RYcM`uU;ap10n Don't implement a new process to 450 lodges until it is . endobj You take nominations from the floor for one office, and when no further nominations are forthcoming, you proceed to the balloting for that office. <> That means run-offs are just plain out of order. Lodge Officers Manual - Masonic Grand Lodge of Maine 66 0 obj <>stream ;J @*Ix~6ia 023X85i=%/v')^KkHaQaA {DCAH ' Electing a presiding officer in a mass meeting Nominations From The Floor Sometimes called open nominations, this method is probably the most familiar. Masonic Lodge Election Procedure > 2023 Once you're a Master Mason, you've got a few options. salute with the Worshipful Master. 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. However, calling nominations from your seat is often impractical, so you may want to adopt a more formal nomination process. 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. The "lex non scripta," or unwritten law of Freemasonry is derived from the traditions, usages and customs of . Officers Duties and Responsibilities . stream The position of Worshipful Master in the East occupies the most exalted position within the lodge. 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. After the period during which a recount can be conducted has passed, you don't need to keep the ballots. 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. 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. been rejected by a Lodge shall again be proposed within six months after A late-arriving member can vote only with other members' consent by majority vote. 10 0 obj Each incoming class of three shall consist of the incoming Junior Warden of the lodge (which has its own bylaws), and. This method gives voters an idea of the group's preferences without holding an actual election. stream To help with the Masonic experience at Lodge meetings, you were allowed to open on any degree, and use the Chamber 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. masonic lodge election procedure - shinecreditandfinance.com Master informs the successful individual as follows: "Brother 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. )GT?=Sk8&o9sU|$gv}~3H'>}3DReeZCZ2HN7.WadE-lUG|1pU]d. This site is not an official site of any recognized Masonic body in the United ballot drawer is empty and that there are both white balls and black ), Members rarely make a motion to close nominations because it's never in order to make this motion as long as anyone wants to make a nomination. endobj )Cv`3!VOYe%K]'d4'kH&]x*"W.L+P|WUyl>TlUTZZh=7wE%4 DoH+5%Y+*:*2*&^Ol\Td4G]:^[DdVXQn*mNI#]Vv?v:]W6x H|z=|-!q1 oF?$Ul(V1C:[jhDe4nsl65gpr'fKuo2a0$T$W.6 ` 5SR_? 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. If anyone is elected, and it is discovered after the election that the person is not eligible, the election of that officer is null and void. 2 0 obj We can only drop to a different degree once we conclude that portion of the meeting. 33 0 obj <> endobj Grand Lodge Committee on Masonic Education: CHAPTER 31: Lodge Service Commission: CHAPTER 32: . 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. This method of nominations is based on the principle of allowing all voters to make nominations for all offices by completing a nominating ballot. Sometimes called open nominations, this method is probably the most familiar. 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. 4 0 obj %%EOF programs and procedures of the Grand Lodge of Ohio, a Masonic District and their Lodge. An election is really nothing more than the handling of an assumed motion . Robert's Rules for Conducting Elections - dummies <> 3 0 obj 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. Ie!W2UP7MEdq-2Y+(jVW`Y, z?D;tr>[iqqF7!FR$uh?%b The secretary places all nominations in the minutes. 11 0 obj 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 For this reason, members should listen carefully to the report of the ballot counters' committee. The Committee on Masonic Education and Information of . Nominations are now open from the floor. Development] [Education] [Masonic ____________ Lodge No. Masonic Lodge Officer Duties and Responsibilities rejection. endobj . 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. ", WM: "How in the West, Brother Senior Warden? %PDF-1.5 endobj Lodge Website Criteria | Grand Lodge of Georgia, F. & A.M. It is for informational purposes only and does not necessarily reflect the views 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. 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. One vote against the petitioner generally rejects him. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Polls closing or opening at times different than the times posted. 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. other regular Masonic body other than those stated. stream Your organization needs officers, maybe committee members, and other positions decided by a vote of the membership. After each nomination, the president repeats the name to the assembly. masonic lodge election procedure; shkolla viktor hygo logo October 28, 2021. masonic lodge election procedure . Further, I don't think I have ever seen a Lodge election where there isn't some form of politics involved. In most places, the answer is likely no. Election of Officers of a Lodge: CHAPTER 55: Installation of Officers of a Lodge: CHAPTER 56: Officers of a Lodge, Term, Resignation, and Title . Mail or absentee ballots not arriving on time or mysteriously disappearing when the time comes to count them. ballot closed." 4 0 obj First, the Entered Apprentice Degree, second, the Fellow Craft Degree and finally, the Master Mason Degree. His term expires July, 2014.". collect the ballots and place the hats with the ballots at the In Kentucky, the individual is normally sent a certified letter. In this case, the members must vote again until one candidate receives a majority vote. Join a brotherhood of over 2,000,000 men of all ages, from all races, religions, and countries, and from all walks of life. Masonic Lodge Officer Duties All business is done in a MM lodge. The brother responds. Ask for nominations for an officer position. 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. Both a bank's president and janitor can apply for membership, and they're considered equally qualified. Whatever nomination method you propose, be specific. %PDF-1.7 % cubes in the box. the South? 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 However, we open the Lodge on the 3rd then call to refreshment, invite everyome in, after the ceremony the WM closes without form. 3. 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. :7YA/gOwNw|\g[u|I}?F. 4. 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 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. The minutes may say, for example, "Eric Olson was elected to the board for two years. However, we open the Lodge on the 3rd then call to refreshment, invite everyome in, after the ceremony the WM closes without form. white ball elects; a black cube rejects. 292, elections may be held in a lodge opened in an EA as long as there is an EA attending. _____ and place it on the Do you All officers resume their stations and Are there any further nominations for president? Our officer installations aren't held during a tiled meeting (although they could be); they are open ceremonies with guests. The election of lodge officers is an annual event, specified in the lodge bylaws. 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. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Conducting an Election of Officers p. 25 Section III. The Senior Deacon then takes up a 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. . If there is a question about the way a ballot is marked, the ballot counters should take it to the presiding officer. Ballot counters should cast their ballots at the same time that the assembly votes. All Articles] [Masonic Nominations are taken for successive offices in the order they're listed in the bylaws. of Freemasonry, nor webmaster nor those of any It is considered a faux pas to cross . <> 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. or opinion After the brethren have cast their ballots. Master. If a member leaves one part blank, the votes entered on the other questions still count. MASONIC ETIQUETTE - Correct Lodge Behavior. (The chair usually just announces the opening of nominations at the appointed time when they are in order. Small technical errors, such as spelling mistakes or marking an X when a checkmark is called for, don't make a vote illegal as long as the voter's intent is discernible. %PDF-1.5 The assembly then votes again on the other office. Illegal votes are, Two or more marked ballots folded together (together they count as only one illegal vote). The election process may be the easiest part of deciding who handles a particular job in the organization. WM: "Brethren, you have heard read the The Politics of Freemasonry | Freemason Information collectively, and in the case of one blackball appearing therein it It is the duty of every member present to vote, Or, they can tell members publicly that they do not have a nominee for a certain office; this allows members to volunteer. You must log in or register to reply here. inviolably preserved. PDF The Grand Lodge of 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. 2. 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. 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. [Feedback]. All Articles] [Masonic Freemasonry (or Brother __________for affiliation)." endobj endobj If the bylaws specifically address this situation, members should follow the bylaws. 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! Members then vote on a candidate to fill the remaining office. After nominations are closed, the vote is taken on each nominee in the order in which they were nominated. A ballot shall be taken for the three degrees Ballot voting is by far the surest way to allow for the free expression of the will of the membership. xU]o@|_cZR%q"b$*/}E(k nK6hb'_ D(|}5Dsq PBY%_'Dru.{,dW9PeOw9 d6!=#3r/iby+4C~9^-GT.d Senior Deacon,", WM: "Prepare and present the ballot box.". The organization must have another election. Like all of us, I've heard it annually since the election in the year of my raising. PDF INFORMATION ON MASONIC TRIALS - The Grand Lodge of Mississippi F & A % 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 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. Illegal votes cast by legal voters count toward the total votes cast, but they don't count for any individual choice or candidate. 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. ",#(7),01444'9=82. endstream endobj startxref 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. 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. 705 South Hercules Avenue. 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. Brethren, I declare that you have WM: "You will present the ballot to the officers and stream of altar. 5 0 obj If someone is not willing to serve, the committee needs to meet again and find another candidate. HWG l!$"' g]9=3>3U}Zo.wjyiQo?\>,:lFYE#q IBZ.rwi/A%f_N'_LDX gjzUS&31+W&nck')*Uf{|mON6E4GKIpFT(o o.RJ MXqy-) MR hb```BVG ea8 P}+/m As JPM of my lodge, I've been asked to serve in this role for our upcoming officer elections. [What is New] Only members entitled to vote are given ballots or are allowed to deposit ballots with a ballot counter or place them in the ballot receptacle. 13 0 obj If a member notices a mistake in procedure, he or she should immediately make the chair and assembly aware of his concerns. The Lodge web page must not link to or be linked to by any website where a conflict . Elections are decided by majority vote unless your bylaws provide differently. Welcome | Grand Lodge of NC APPOINTMENT. Motions to close nominations are usually unnecessary because the nomination process simply continues until no one wishes to make further nominations. It will take you step by step through the election process, help you to identify your responsibilities during each step, and provide suggestions to make your job easier. The duty of a nominating committee is to find the best candidate for each office. By signing a petition for the formation of a new lodge, [ Chapter 39] 2. Club elections and officers are an integral part of the organization and must be conducted according to the group's bylaws and rules. If members haven't used the machine before, it may be wise to show them how to use it the day before the election. As each nomination is received (assuming multiple candidates), ask each nominee "If elected, are you willing to serve?" so presented that each officer and member shall cast his ballot Robert's Rules on elections are very straightforward after what is often a politically charged prequel of nominating and campaigning. Masonic lodge officer - Wikipedia xWMo1#[YO !T6T=D9Jhnwv5ofm4_0Vgu=_|[~jC5}YWyYWw45lv4~JS'AdQiewV?=few_Xu9pTX(*HYfh5Y2Q=[6(ao)\\O 9|b|+x Up % ZDEpV`,QI8.3mb'Vs5cAZ!X^S"W7FZ$%W8Fh,)Jrt $^JG{vxGVW9Z;-*r4b@fSM(o/ ?-vz}J=Pu&NC\H#^SKUvN)A@+a)eU"PvrNLsi;:~8J8 9 This example is based on moving to have nominations by committee, but the form is essentially the same for any of the methods. The requirement for election by ballot is a majority, and a candidate has no obligation to withdraw just because he polls low numbers. Work on making your brothers become better friends. x`TU?5%BBH*5XHRjD5IPJ@Z"MDE]sm.Cs)}{n/JFtZ_!ms6g:8_\Xt hq[gGBqvZ(}%p&N"4t 4b2hEs A member has the right to vote until the polls are closed. applicant shall be declared rejected. 5 0 obj We must open on the third and conduct all business that requires a vote on the third. 6. 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. Apply a check mark to indicate the choice wherever . By absolute demit, [ Chapter 76] 3. The election of lodge officers is an annual event, specified in the lodge bylaws. PDF 2015 01 30 Installation of Officers of Local Lodges If they don't set a time for an adjourned meeting, they can call a special meeting (if the bylaws allow this). endstream should be destroyed. The mechanics of the election are governed by a few sections of the Minnesota Masonic Code and quite a bit of lodge tradition. Adam is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in Pennsylvania and is employed as a Senior Manager of International Tax in Latrobe, PA. Nominees do not have to leave the room during the nominations, when the vote is taken, or when the vote is counted. As Masons, we hone our skills to apply their use, improving ourselves daily. However, in some national organizations that meet yearly or biennially (every two years), this is difficult. One of the most important franchises which the Masonic character offers is THE ELECTION OF MASTER FOR THE ENSUING TWELVE MONTHS. JavaScript is disabled. 11 0 obj The secretary repeats the vote after recording it, to ensure accuracy. 7 0 obj Cell phones, chewing gum, crinkly snack wrappers and other distractions should be disallowed during a fraternity election (except during breaks). You follow the same procedures for elections by ballot, as far as arriving at the point of the election is concerned, but instead of casting your vote by ballot, each member announces his vote when the secretary calls that person's name. Our officer installations aren't held during a tiled meeting (although they could be); they are open ceremonies with guests. the vote. If this occurs and it does not affect the outcome of the vote, the election is still valid. If counting ballots takes some time, it is best for the assembly to take a recess instead of adjourn. And whenever you want to specify when nominations can be made, you use a motion to open or close nominations. altar. 16 0 obj Only MMs vote. _____ cast their ballot?" Since it is the obligation of every brother of the endobj <> Introduction. The Secretary announces the results of the vote, a Magazines Online] The committee must carefully review the eligibility requirements for each office and see that the nominees meet these requirements. <>/ExtGState<>/XObject<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 595.44 841.92] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> 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. endobj I /8ZzeL%kxF~/a&MBkd/cK"zBARqG(/%:}4Q;l@)R^M,s;p Rx P~DV(GR,&Gj;v}yh/5F3ibD,eZJ In the vote for the position of Worshipful Master