Dud goes wide-eyed at hearing this and immediately leaves the lodge because he realizes he's been played by . 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. If not, Brother 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. Lodge elections are performed via a Masonic Ballot Box. 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. Doing this may allow an unpopular or hand-picked candidate to get the office even though he or she was not elected. JavaScript is disabled. - "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 . The secretary repeats the vote after recording it, to ensure accuracy. 2 0 obj x`TU?5%BBH*5XHRjD5IPJ@Z"MDE]sm.Cs)}{n/JFtZ_!ms6g:8_\Xt hq[gGBqvZ(}%p&N"4t 4b2hEs If not, the members can vote again during that meeting for another candidate. . The Senior Deacon presents the ballot for examination For the qualifications of candidates in order to join a Masonic Lodge in Texas there are a series of "Freemason requirements". of altar. The Worshipful Master orders the Wardens to take 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. WM: "You will present the ballot to the officers and The Senior Deacon then takes up a 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. endobj A lodge which does not honor its Master, no matter how they personally feel about the man, himself, lacks Masonic . However, we open the Lodge on the 3rd then call to refreshment, invite everyome in, after the ceremony the WM closes without form. And whenever you want to specify when nominations can be made, you use a motion to open or close nominations. In a voice vote, the winner is easy to determine and the vote is over when someone wins the election. Master. Each incoming class of three shall consist of the incoming Junior Warden of the lodge (which has its own bylaws), and. 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. <> endobj Your organization needs officers, maybe committee members, and other positions decided by a vote of the membership. Discover the world's largest and oldest fraternal organization with over 3 million members. 9. Some Lodges have their bills paid automatically each month electronically, such as for utilities and telephones for example. << /Type /Page /Parent 3 0 R /Resources 6 0 R /Contents 4 0 R /MediaBox [0 0 612 792] 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. ", WM: "Fair (cloudy) in the South, clear (dark) in the If no candidate is found, the committee can leave that slot open for nominations from the floor. Achieve this by asking them to hang out with you. *.MXPY!~@Aa%^ N&4D1la`:v@Ai,^t #. A website endorsed by a Lodge will be considered the official Lodge website, and will be subject to these criteria and rules. Ie!W2UP7MEdq-2Y+(jVW`Y, z?D;tr>[iqqF7!FR$uh?%b 11 0 obj When the secretary prepares the eligibility list for the meeting, only those members who are willing to serve are on the list. endobj hb```e``b`f``cg@ ~}"S-(1I)|p(0)P5oDurCAfG3f1,-- d$WZ3bVasYf`$exq> )Zg If a marked ballot is folded together with a blank ballot, the marked ballot counts as one legal vote, and the blank ballot is considered scrap paper. Each officer and member, before voting, must exchange the WM: "Have all of the brethren of _______________ (The chair usually just announces the opening of nominations at the appointed time when they are in order. The election of lodge officers is an annual event, specified in the lodge bylaws. Are there any further nominations for president? If a member is not present to choose which office he or she wants to serve, the members vote on which office they want him or her to serve. x=o6 bP+SR[H7\AE>Dz- ^=(pH{'OE5Y%?jUMi?OOVy5'Vx_u5'ur|GY,*'yEL -R@$S0.SHdrV&g_;F0PJ1:|GXqNg Sometimes called open nominations, this method is probably the most familiar. 4. Lodge to vote, the Master should invite the tiler in and have a 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. However, calling nominations from your seat is often impractical, so you may want to adopt a more formal nomination process. 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. 3. The election process may be the easiest part of deciding who handles a particular job in the organization. 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. Nominees do not have to leave the room during the nominations, when the vote is taken, or when the vote is counted. Yes, every year Masonic Lodges do have elections. /Rotate 0 >> 2017 2 PREFACE This Manual has been assembled to enable Brethren to better understand the laws, customs, programs and procedures of the Grand Lodge of Ohio, a Masonic District and their Lodge. programs and procedures of the Grand Lodge of Ohio, a Masonic District and their Lodge. Introduction. No matter which procedure you use, the order in which you take up each election is the order in which the offices are listed in your bylaws. The balloting committee can still count the ballots. stream When called on to give the report, the chairman of the nominating committee states the nominations for each office. A poor meeting achieves the opposite results. endobj The Senior Deacon presents the ballot to each officer 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 committee must carefully review the eligibility requirements for each office and see that the nominees meet these requirements. 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. %PDF-1.7 % Rules may include how long the organization saves ballots and how long members can wait to challenge an election. should be destroyed. charge of the Ballot and they pick up the hats, take them to the hb```BVG ea8 P}+/m 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. %PDF-1.5 collect the ballots and place the hats with the ballots at the You must log in or register to reply here. elected (rejected) Mister ___________ for the degrees of If a person has been nominated to more than one office and is elected to two offices, he or she can choose which office he or she wants. If a member votes for more choices than positions to be elected, the vote is considered illegal. Brother Secretary conduct a roll call. (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. 66 0 obj <>stream 6 0 obj or opinion Books Online] [E-Books] [Library Of The Secretary announces the results of the vote, a altar. gjzUS&31+W&nck')*Uf{|mON6E4GKIpFT(o o.RJ MXqy-) MR AUTHORITY. In the vote for the position of Worshipful Master 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. 705 South Hercules Avenue. The above procedure is repeated for each position or 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 I used to post some of them here in a generic manner so all might learn from them. Votes cast by illegal voters must not be counted at all, not even included in the number of total votes cast. endobj If there is a question about the way a ballot is marked, the ballot counters should take it to the presiding officer. :7YA/gOwNw|\g[u|I}?F. Secretary prepares ballots for each position to be elected. It may not display this or other websites correctly. While the . When the nominations stop, the chair just declares nominations closed after making sure that no more nominations are forthcoming. Masonic Etiquette Summary: Masonic etiquette is simply the rules of good manners which make lodge meetings pleasant for everyone. The Senior Deacon obtains the ballot box and presents 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 Trustees of the Charitable Foundation have authorized the "build out" of the Grand Lodge Library into the space formerly the drive through banking area. ____ for the ensuing Masonic year. Masonry doesn't care about your worldly wealth or social position. It is considered a faux pas to cross . [Articles] [Masonic APPOINTMENT. Adam is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in Pennsylvania and is employed as a Senior Manager of International Tax in Latrobe, PA. %PDF-1.3 Officers Duties and Responsibilities . A member can rise and decline the nomination during the nominating process. names. 0 5 0 obj 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. In the vote for Secretary, unless he is retiring, or opinion Senior Deacon,", WM: "Prepare and present the ballot box.". Polls closing or opening at times different than the times posted. Business meetings are held on the EA degree in European lodge. Customarily (although it's not required), the chair accomplishes this by calling three times for more nominations. 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 Voting machines having wedges inserted to prevent the lever from going down all the way. If a member is elected and not present and has not previously said that if elected he or she will serve, someone should call the member to see if he or she will accept the office. In Europe, it takes often a year, to advance per degree. endobj Development] [Education] [Masonic In balloting on a petition for affiliation, if one blackball takes up his place at the tilers door. A Lodge supporting this vital outreach of the Foundation, will be properly noted. )GT?=Sk8&o9sU|$gv}~3H'>}3DReeZCZ2HN7.WadE-lUG|1pU]d. 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! 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. His term expires July, 2014.". At the end of each successful vote the ballots Conducting an Election of Officers p. 25 Section III. time immemorial. Some organizations add nominees to the ballot only if the name is submitted on a petition signed by some minimum number of members. <> The appointive officers of the Grand Lodge, save the Deputy Grand Secretary, shall be endobj From his home in Pocatello, Idaho, across almost 3000 miles of highway, Fred's car had given trouble, and now, at Henniker, N.H., the cooling system finally gave up. This method of nominations is based on the principle of allowing all voters to make nominations for all offices by completing a nominating ballot. The duty of a nominating committee is to find the best candidate for each office. 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. so presented that each officer and member shall cast his ballot Nominations for each office are followed by the election for that office. xU]o@|_cZR%q"b$*/}E(k nK6hb'_ D(|}5Dsq PBY%_'Dru.{,dW9PeOw9 d6!=#3r/iby+4C~9^-GT.d endobj 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. been rejected by a Lodge shall again be proposed within six months after 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. The election of lodge officers is an annual event, specified in the lodge bylaws. The Master may approve a collective ballot if there Robert's Rules on elections are very straightforward after what is often a politically charged prequel of nominating and campaigning. Depending on the Grand Lodge, this can be anywhere from 18 to 25. 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. Only MMs vote. will advance to the altar and cast their ballot. 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. mistake.". 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 An officer election form is a document used by groups, clubs, and organizations to elect leaders and fill vacant positions. 1. In Texas, per Art. Illegal votes cast by legal voters count toward the total votes cast, but they don't count for any individual choice or candidate. These elections are to vote on new top lodge officers in the blue lodge. white ball elects; a black cube rejects. ballot drawer is empty and that there are both white balls and black If a member leaves one part blank, the votes entered on the other questions still count. All officers resume their stations and My Freemasonry | Freemason Information and Discussion Forum. Because fraud does happen in the election process, members need to be alert and watchful of the election process. 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. A member of the committee should then be designated to call each nominee to see if he or she is willing to serve if elected. {V++6o <>`ulr<>[lLDdTVVQ4Mt{<1iz;E endobj JavaScript is disabled. unobserved by others, so that the secrecy of the ballot shall be This method requires more time for the election process, making it probably best limited to smaller groups. majority of those voting being necessary for election, and the Worshipful 587 A parade of misfortunes had culminated by forcing potato planter Fred Jensen to stop his cross-country dash 85 miles short of his destination. ",#(7),01444'9=82. 6 0 obj endobj endobj 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. The person who gets the most votes may not have a majority of the votes. appears the ballot shall be immediately retaken, and if a blackball endobj ____________ Lodge No. 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. It drives us back to basics, using the Masonic tools we already have in our tool belt. By signing a petition for the formation of a new lodge, [ Chapter 39] 2. However, in some national organizations that meet yearly or biennially (every two years), this is difficult. An election is really nothing more than the handling of an assumed motion, with the question being on whom to elect to fill a position. Ballot voting is the preferred voting method in situations in which knowing how all the members voted isn't desirable. 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.