masonic lodge election procedure masonic lodge election procedure

Masonic Lodge Officer Duties and Responsibilities In Tennessee, the only time you open an EA or FC lodge is to confer those degrees. 1. (rap). Discover the world's largest and oldest fraternal organization with over 3 million members. 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. If a member notices a mistake in procedure, he or she should immediately make the chair and assembly aware of his concerns. <> <> Dues & Don'ts of Getting Into a Masonic Lodge | Freemason Network All business is done in a MM lodge. 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. If they don't set a time for an adjourned meeting, they can call a special meeting (if the bylaws allow this). When called on to give the report, the chairman of the nominating committee states the nominations for each office. 2. A member may for indecorous or unmasonic conduct be excluded from a single meeting of 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. Whatever nomination method you propose, be specific. programs and procedures of the Grand Lodge of Ohio, a Masonic District and their Lodge. endobj Robert's Rules for Conducting Elections - dummies Also, military lodges in foreign countries, often perform business meetings on the EA degree. 8 0 obj 15 0 obj endstream 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. For the qualifications of candidates in order to join a Masonic Lodge in Texas there are a series of "Freemason requirements". 1. States or elsewhere. A member has the right to vote until the polls are closed. endobj Locals file for May 6 city, school board elections; many unopposed You are using an out of date browser. 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. The Louisiana Freemason Spring 2020 Issue by Grand Lodge of Louisiana Masonic Lodges, Masonic Organizations, and Youth Orders may conduct in-person meetings and events in compliance with county and city restrictions, if any. The Master then casts his own vote. PDF The NJ Freemason Spring 2019 - Grand Lodge of New Jersey Development] [Education] [Masonic >> /ExtGState << /Gs1 13 0 R >> /Font << /Tc1 10 0 R /TT2 9 0 R >> /XObject MASONIC ETIQUETTE - Correct Lodge Behavior. 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. A common mistake in elections is having too many ballots cast for the number of members present. When holding ballot elections, you have two procedural options: Nominations for all offices conclude before any balloting begins. 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. 12 0 obj . If someone is not willing to serve, the committee needs to meet again and find another candidate. 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. << /Length 5 0 R /Filter /FlateDecode >> Secretary prepares ballots for each position to be If the bylaws specifically address this situation, members should follow the bylaws. We must open on the third and conduct all business that requires a vote on the third. JavaScript is disabled. 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. endstream endobj startxref 75-3 METHODS OF AFFILIATION. 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. Lodge Visitation - A Privilege - The Masonic Trowel endobj Senior Deacon,", WM: "Prepare and present the ballot box.". When the nominating ballot is received, the signed inner envelope containing the ballot is logged in against a list of voting members, and the ballot is deposited in a receptacle for tallying like an election ballot. The Masonic Oath is hugely significant, as it is represents a Masons' integrity and is an example of their strong bond to all other brothers within the fraternity. The minutes may say, for example, "Eric Olson was elected to the board for two years. 1 0 obj [Feedback]. or opinion 2. By establishing plural membership in a North Carolina If a member votes for fewer choices than positions to be elected, the vote is legal and those votes count. * (rap once). 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. A lodge which does not honor its Master, no matter how they personally feel about the man, himself, lacks Masonic . 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. After each nomination, the president repeats the name to the assembly. The ballots are tallied very much like an election ballot, and the report becomes the list of nominees for each office. election of officers in April each year. 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. A poor meeting achieves the opposite results. ", SW: "Clear (dark) in the West, Worshipful. endobj <> 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. 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. However, we open the Lodge on the 3rd then call to refreshment, invite everyome in, after the ceremony the WM closes without form. hmo@W}w*JGEa]/p o?_%au/$"p@ZPI 6AKFQt$8g!AHG[v;~&Wwu~|1xX21`9-Yd]%dsXQNxm -$we/mc5qrq:a/}4Y#A6,UX"{,S(JCs4l>nl,~nn%M&bt_zFPVJ_**#lU6uZe]Y[;M 6tvM{7W/225[n_SOmGP_4U_rH1v %m" &"`hh&q'I%D-rI$\\OScmalRCiPh_Th 7AN.RR9ou|r:9>NpT~XI|{&]MJ )FvJlC{hDRDT "DJc+^zrPl c[ x`TU?5%BBH*5XHRjD5IPJ@Z"MDE]sm.Cs)}{n/JFtZ_!ms6g:8_\Xt hq[gGBqvZ(}%p&N"4t 4b2hEs endobj 1 0 obj BALLOTING PROCEDURE CHAPTER xv THE WORSHIPFUL MASTER'S HANDBOOK Grand Lodge, F.A.A.M. The above procedure is repeated for each position or Master informs the successful individual as follows: "Brother This site is not an official site of any recognized Masonic body in the United some brother of the Lodge other than the Secretary should tally and Masonic Rituals for the Blue Lodge - Ephesians 5:11 At this time the HWG l!$"' g]9=3>3U}Zo.wjyiQo?\>,:lFYE#q IBZ.rwi/A%f_N'_LDX You are using an out of date browser. APPOINTMENT. This saves time and allows for polling at a time and place other than a meeting. If a member leaves one part blank, the votes entered on the other questions still count. of altar. WM: "Brother Junior Warden, how stands the ballot in States or elsewhere. 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. In Europe, it takes often a year, to advance per degree. 13 0 obj ____________ Lodge No. majority of those voting being necessary for election, and the Worshipful The election process may be the easiest part of deciding who handles a particular job in the organization. 4. When the nominations stop, the chair just declares nominations closed after making sure that no more nominations are forthcoming. Because this form of voting favors one candidate over another based on the order of nomination, you should avoid using it except in mass meetings or when there's no serious contest for the office and a ballot is not required. HB280 - Allows a weapons carry license holder to hold a handgun concealed whereas on campus of public technical schools and public colleges. To lend a professional air to the proceedings, suggest that brothers wear a collared shirt and tie, especially the candidates. distribute the ballots for the first position to be voted upon. 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! If the ballot vote decides an election, you're instructed to write the name of the nominee of your choice on your ballot. To help with the Masonic experience at Lodge meetings, you were allowed to open on any degree, and use the Chamber 11 0 obj Masonic Etiquette And Protocol - The Masonic Trowel Your group's rules and customs determine when floor nominations are accepted. In a voice vote, the winner is easy to determine and the vote is over when someone wins the election. Section 3. One example occurs if a person is elected and then resigns, the office is considered vacant, and the president or board fills it by appointment instead of having another election. Do Freemasons elect their top leadership? - Freemasonry Report Votes cast by illegal voters must not be counted at all, not even included in the number of total votes cast. 2. If electronic machines are used for voting, they should be programmed so that each segment of the ballot is treated as if it were a separate ballot. 16 0 obj The election of lodge officers is an annual event, specified in the lodge bylaws. If an EA is not attending, it is the option of the WM as to which lodge will be opened. 234 0 obj <> endobj 587 Here are things you can do to improve your fraternity while not being on a lodge officer: Strengthen the brotherhood - The foundation of brotherhood is the strength of the friendships between the brothers. 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. After the brethren have cast their ballots. Application Letter To Join Masonry - Fill Out and Sign Printable PDF At the end of each successful vote the ballots %PDF-1.5 unobserved by others, so that the secrecy of the ballot shall be Business meetings are held on the EA degree in European lodge. The process of making floor nominations is subject to the following rules: Recognition by the chair is not required to make a nomination. Freemasonry | Definition, History, Stages, Lodges, & Facts other regular Masonic body other than those stated. The Code has two primary chapters that describe the process of voting in subordinate lodges. 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. After the person elected to office assumes the position, it is too late to nullify an illegal election. the name on the ballot and the Secretary repeats the name and tallies endobj appears the ballot shall be immediately retaken, and if a blackball In determining how long to hold the ballots before destroying them, your main consideration is the possibility of needing a recount. If a member votes for more choices than positions to be elected, the vote is considered illegal. Lodge elections are performed via a Masonic Ballot Box. f;-^*//%^je)R%^eKuZJQ\LU/Zgy:FDt8KF:US1OG+T/5i]\V5qhw`6mjzS"m].#{T^]q p;43[9[C nF^y' 64 Grand Secretary "Stuff" Information for Lodge Secretaries - December ;D[{cv,#(145:n') 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. Blogs] [Links] Lodge No. Only MMs vote. If it's determined that enough illegal votes were cast by illegal voters to affect the result, and these votes can't be identified and removed from the count, then the vote is deemed null and must be retaken. If you have only two candidates and the vote is a tie, you repeat the balloting until one candidate receives a majority. This method requires more time for the election process, making it probably best limited to smaller groups. Your organization needs officers, maybe committee members, and other positions decided by a vote of the membership. Cell phones, chewing gum, crinkly snack wrappers and other distractions should be disallowed during a fraternity election (except during breaks). 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. 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 PDF The Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Ohio - Freemason It's used in the vast majority of situations in which members elect their officers at a meeting. 7. 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 Senior Warden hands each ballot to the Junior Warden who announces The balloting committee can still count the ballots. Ballot counters should cast their ballots at the same time that the assembly votes. If not, the members can vote again during that meeting for another candidate. Clearwater Lodge No. 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. However, calling nominations from your seat is often impractical, so you may want to adopt a more formal nomination process. At the Worshipful Master s order the Stewards distribute the ballots for the first position to be voted upon. Lodge Election Procedures "Worshipful Master (WM) or Preceding Officer" 1. %`y`aSW2.9]!BBI One vote against the petitioner generally rejects him. All officers resume their stations and His term expires July, 2014.". 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. A Lodge member who has held the highest office in the Lodge has for life a Masonic position of his own. . 66 0 obj <>stream "30*5gDcJuk.w^m=12Ua&0cE'|H%KV L%|c]c0l;v=[, Cj+M 38xHDL\. This site is not an official site of any recognized Masonic body in the United Robert's Rules on elections are very straightforward after what is often a politically charged prequel of nominating and campaigning. <> masonic lodge election procedure - shinecreditandfinance.com Masonic Etiquette Summary: Masonic etiquette is simply the rules of good manners which make lodge meetings pleasant for everyone. Election of officers | My Freemasonry | Freemason Information and Join a brotherhood of over 2,000,000 men of all ages, from all races, religions, and countries, and from all walks of life. By-Laws | District Grand Lodge of Jamaica & the Cayman Islands % Grand Lodge Officers - Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania The Worshipful Master orders the Wardens to take Achieve this by asking them to hang out with you. The duty of a nominating committee is to find the best candidate for each office. collect the ballots and place the hats with the ballots at the Welcome | Grand Lodge of NC 14 0 obj A parade of misfortunes had culminated by forcing potato planter Fred Jensen to stop his cross-country dash 85 miles short of his destination. If you have a nominating committee in place, ask this group to declare their nominee for a specific officer role. However, in some national organizations that meet yearly or biennially (every two years), this is difficult. <>/ExtGState<>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 612 792] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> <> If counting ballots takes some time, it is best for the assembly to take a recess instead of adjourn. cubes in the box. Illegal votes are, Two or more marked ballots folded together (together they count as only one illegal vote). It is for informational purposes only and does not necessarily reflect the views shall be immediately retaken, when, if a blackball again appears, the ", JW: "Fair (cloudy) in the South, Worshipful. You must log in or register to reply here. Section 12: How To Run A Good Business Meeting - Masonic Grand Lodge of We can only drop to a different degree once we conclude that portion of the meeting. PDF Election of Lodge Officers Handbook - mdmoose.org Booth Lodge 100-100C, be amended . ), 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. Taking nominations by mail is basically the same as taking nominations by ballot. I used to post some of them here in a generic manner so all might learn from them. 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. Organizations can create and write election rules to correct this mistake. <> Fund raising is underway. 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. The Lodge web page must not link to or be linked to by any website where a conflict . The Senior Deacon presents the ballot for examination Balloting must continue until a candidate receives a majority. Marshal takes up his place at the West Gate and the Junior Deacon Two top hats are placed on the kneeling pad at foot of altar. 0 $.' An election is really nothing more than the handling of an assumed motion, with the question being on whom to elect to fill a position. announce the results of the vote. Master. 1. 8. How Not to Be Stumped on Fraternity Elections - omegafi.com masonic lodge election procedure; shkolla viktor hygo logo October 28, 2021. masonic lodge election procedure . )GT?=Sk8&o9sU|$gv}~3H'>}3DReeZCZ2HN7.WadE-lUG|1pU]d. <> The requirement for election by ballot is a majority, and a candidate has no obligation to withdraw just because he polls low numbers. 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. 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. should be destroyed. Nominations are taken for successive offices in the order they're listed in the bylaws. In this case, the members must vote again until one candidate receives a majority vote. (or for affiliation) which has received a unanimously favorable A motion to open nominations, when made by a member, is usually a motion to reopen nominations after they have been closed. The election (or rejection) of a candidate in a Masonic lodge is a secret ballot, and with few exceptions, must be completely unanimous.