Robert's Rules for Conducting Elections - dummies ", JW: "Fair (cloudy) in the South, Worshipful. 3. 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. The Worshipful Master What it all means: A Worshipful Master simply depicts a deity or one in authority who is held in honor and considered as an honorable man. rejection. masonic lodge election procedure - shinecreditandfinance.com Freemasons explain the rituals and benefits of membership The Secretary announces the results of the vote, a Like any incidental main motion, an election can be decided by voice vote or by ballot. << /Im1 11 0 R >> >> Often the extra ballot comes from someone who has entered the assembly but has not signed in to the meeting. <> 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. the South? If you have only two candidates and the vote is a tie, you repeat the balloting until one candidate receives a majority. WM: "The brethren of ____________ Lodge No. endobj 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. However, calling nominations from your seat is often impractical, so you may want to adopt a more formal nomination process. will advance to the altar and cast their ballot. 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. Election Master/Judge parliamentary procedure - My Freemasonry 292, elections may be held in a lodge opened in an EA as long as there is an EA attending. 4 0 obj 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. The brother responds. If not, Brother Because fraud does happen in the election process, members need to be alert and watchful of the election process. My Freemasonry | Freemason Information and Discussion Forum. How Not to Be Stumped on Fraternity Elections - omegafi.com Nominations are taken for successive offices in the order they're listed in the bylaws. 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. Conducting an Election of Officers p. 25 Section III. Tradition holds that the Master of the lodge appoint a committee of three (usually Past Masters) to serve as a Tellers Committee. election of officers in April each year. Development] [Education] [Masonic endobj Enter your official identification and contact details. West and bright (black) in the East. of Freemasonry, nor webmaster nor those of any If a member notices a mistake in procedure, he or she should immediately make the chair and assembly aware of his concerns. PDF Guidelines for Subordinate Lodge Balloting - Grand Lodge of NC Don't implement a new process to 450 lodges until it is . The Senior Deacon obtains the ballot box and presents appears the ballot shall be immediately retaken, and if a blackball [Articles] [Masonic Welcome | Grand Lodge of NC The committee then has to find a new nominee, and the members have to vote again. 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. . 11 0 obj vote. Masonic Lodge Officer Duties and Responsibilities Your members may wind up voting for Mr. Low as the compromise candidate. ____________ Lodge No. The ballots are tallied very much like an election ballot, and the report becomes the list of nominees for each office. As JPM of my lodge, I've been asked to serve in this role for our upcoming officer elections. ",#(7),01444'9=82. * (rap once). Officer Election Form Template | Jotform AUTHORITY. Some Lodges % It is for informational purposes only and does not necessarily reflect the views Secretary prepares ballots for each position to be If they don't set a time for an adjourned meeting, they can call a special meeting (if the bylaws allow this). 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. 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 endstream Register a free account today to become a member! %`y`aSW2.9]!BBI First, the Entered Apprentice Degree, second, the Fellow Craft Degree and finally, the Master Mason Degree. cubes in the box. ___________, you have been elected to serve as ____________ of Officers Duties and Responsibilities . As soon as the committee reports, it is discharged from its duties. In Freemasonry, a brother's word is of paramount importance, so revealing the secrets of the ceremonies and rituals within the lodge after reciting the Masonic Oath is not permitted. Maine Masonic Charitable Foundation. 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. A member has the right to vote until the polls are closed. It has its own identity and recognition and carries with it the title of "Past Master". States or elsewhere. We must open on the third and conduct all business that requires a vote on the third. Brethren, I declare that you have New Jersey checking in. 66 0 obj <>stream At this time the If members don't understand exactly how it works, the ones whose preferred candidate doesn't get voted on are likely to think something is amiss. "If so, I declare the 6. Further, I don't think I have ever seen a Lodge election where there isn't some form of politics involved. ), 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. If lodge functions go smoothly, it is the Master who takes the credit. 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. JavaScript is disabled. 9 0 obj endobj Our officer installations aren't held during a tiled meeting (although they could be); they are open ceremonies with guests. Cell phones, chewing gum, crinkly snack wrappers and other distractions should be disallowed during a fraternity election (except during breaks). The entire ballot counters' report should be included in the minutes of the meeting. Polls closing or opening at times different than the times posted. %PDF-1.3 That job belongs to the presiding officer, who reads the report again to the members, concluding with a formal declaration of the result. The bylaws should not tie the hands of the committee to find more than one person to fill each slot; the committee should find the best candidate for each office. 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. 3. This requires secretaries (and possibly grand secretaries if different jurisdictions) to get involved, but is a somewhat common occurrence. 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. By absolute demit, [ Chapter 76] 3. Once you're a Master Mason, you've got a few options. endobj Voting Is A Masonic Principal: Part I - Midnight Freemasons hbbd``b`$+@9`~ $U@ AL Abo;I0 V!$B ;J @*Ix~6ia 023X85i=%/v')^KkHaQaA {DCAH ' One vote against the petitioner generally rejects him. The report of the nominating committee is usually given under "special orders." It is for informational purposes only and does not necessarily reflect the views 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. election of Trustees to Board - General Discussion - The Official RONR In balloting on a petition for affiliation, if one blackball Nominees do not have to leave the room during the nominations, when the vote is taken, or when the vote is counted. The Senior Deacon presents the ballot for examination The Closely Guarded Secrets of the Masonic Lodge - Freemasons Community Our officer installations aren't held during a tiled meeting (although they could be); they are open ceremonies with guests. Are there any further nominations for president? However only Masters can vote. <> Books Online] [E-Books] [Library Of (rap). 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. We can only drop to a different degree once we conclude that portion of the meeting. <>/ExtGState<>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 612 792] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> 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 mechanics of the election are governed by a few sections of the Minnesota Masonic Code and quite a bit of lodge tradition. 4 0 obj <> %PDF-1.7 % to the Junior Warden, then the Senior Warden and then the Worshipful Lodge Website Criteria | Grand Lodge of Georgia, F. & A.M. 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. Depending on the Grand Lodge, this can be anywhere from 18 to 25. The Politics of Freemasonry | Freemason Information The Necessity of Lodge Audits | Freemason Information endobj 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. Both a bank's president and janitor can apply for membership, and they're considered equally qualified. 0 Freemasonry (or Brother __________for affiliation)." According to Robert's Rules, a motion to close nominations is out of order as long as any member wishes to make a nomination. Usually the president closes nominations when no further nominations come forward from the assembly. The Principles of Masonic Law/Chapter XX - Wikisource 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. It's used in the vast majority of situations in which members elect their officers at a meeting. 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. Secretarys table and put the ballots into one of the hats. A website endorsed by a Lodge will be considered the official Lodge website, and will be subject to these criteria and rules. After each nomination, the president repeats the name to the assembly. Join a brotherhood of over 2,000,000 men of all ages, from all races, religions, and countries, and from all walks of life. A common mistake in elections is having too many ballots cast for the number of members present. Freemasonry | Definition, History, Stages, Lodges, & Facts A Lodge supporting this vital outreach of the Foundation, will be properly noted. inviolably preserved. of Freemasonry, nor webmaster nor those of any Two top hats are placed on the kneeling pad at foot endstream Motions to close nominations are usually unnecessary because the nomination process simply continues until no one wishes to make further nominations. mistake.". 33 0 obj <> endobj places. distribute the ballots for the first position to be voted upon. 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 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. Robert's Rules on elections are very straightforward after what is often a politically charged prequel of nominating and campaigning. 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. Talks] [Masonic Elections are decided by majority vote unless your bylaws provide differently. of altar. 3 ways to keep your Masonic Lodge from closing its doors 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. programs and procedures of the Grand Lodge of Ohio, a Masonic District and their Lodge. If the lodge is not able to contact the individual after a reasonable period of time, the non-paying Mason is dropped (suspended). The mechanics of the election are governed by a few sections of the Minnesota Masonic Code and quite a bit of lodge tradition. 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. The person who gets the most votes may not have a majority of the votes. My Freemasonry | Freemason Information and Discussion Forum. 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. How to Conduct an Election of Officers (with Pictures) - wikiHow You can use a ballot vote to decide either a motion or an election: If the ballot vote decides a motion, the question is clearly stated by the chair, and you're instructed to mark your ballot Yes or No (or For or Against). 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. 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 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. As Masons, we hone our skills to apply their use, improving ourselves daily. 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. Magazines Online] <> I've never see a script or outline, but it should proceed as follows: That sounds like the CA required verbiage. 4 0 obj 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. _____ cast their ballot?" WM: "Brethren, you have heard read the A poor meeting achieves the opposite results. 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 APPOINTMENT. applicant shall be declared rejected. %PDF-1.5 % Doing this may allow an unpopular or hand-picked candidate to get the office even though he or she was not elected. should be destroyed. You must log in or register to reply here. On the Approaching Election to the Masonic Chairs Some organizations add nominees to the ballot only if the name is submitted on a petition signed by some minimum number of members. 5 0 obj Ballot voting is the preferred voting method in situations in which knowing how all the members voted isn't desirable. 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. You are using an out of date browser. This saves time and allows for polling at a time and place other than a meeting. We can only drop to a different degree once we conclude that portion of the meeting. Master. Organizations can create and write election rules to correct this mistake. It is considered a faux pas to cross . Each question on a multipart ballot is counted as a separate ballot. Your organization needs officers, maybe committee members, and other positions decided by a vote of the membership. _____ Is it permissible to hold election of officers in an EA lodge? . 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. I /8ZzeL%kxF~/a&MBkd/cK"zBARqG(/%:}4Q;l@)R^M,s;p Rx P~DV(GR,&Gj;v}yh/5F3ibD,eZJ place with the Senior and Junior Wardens alternating in calling the endobj For this reason, members should listen carefully to the report of the ballot counters' committee. It may not display this or other websites correctly. <> 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. In Tennessee, the only time you open an EA or FC lodge is to confer those degrees. 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. Dues & Don'ts of Getting Into a Masonic Lodge | Freemason Network As each nomination is received (assuming multiple candidates), ask each nominee "If elected, are you willing to serve?" [Feedback]. By-Laws | District Grand Lodge of Jamaica & the Cayman Islands endobj 5. 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. Welcome | Grand Lodge of NC 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. 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. {V++6o <>`ulr<>[lLDdTVVQ4Mt{<1iz;E hb```e``b`f``cg@ ~}"S-(1I)|p(0)P5oDurCAfG3f1,-- d$WZ3bVasYf`$exq> )Zg 1. 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.. Past Masters have a standing in Masonic Law; certain duties may be assigned to them. At the Worshipful Master s order the Stewards distribute the ballots for the first position to be voted upon. A properly planned and executed meeting results in good participation. 234 0 obj <> endobj _____ and place it on the ballot drawer is empty and that there are both white balls and black F - Clubhouse 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 These could lead The Constitution is clear on the proper procedure hb```BVG ea8 P}+/m Electing a presiding officer in a mass meeting Nominations From The Floor Sometimes called open nominations, this method is probably the most familiar. <> or opinion Here is how: You must first find a Masonic lodge location near you, contact them, and ask for a petition to join. elected. Election of officers | My Freemasonry | Freemason Information and 14 0 R /BitsPerComponent 8 /Filter /FlateDecode >> Blogs] [Links] position north of the altar. By signing a petition for the formation of a new lodge, [ Chapter 39] 2. 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. endobj 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. Books Online] [E-Books] [Library Of If members are voting for offices that have staggered terms or that last more than a year, the secretary should include in the minutes when the term expires. %PDF-1.5 4[>56[Wbz ; ~D.Lf Y`S=#A.%* ^Ckk8a)W=Lt!z3 EHDG}S?#&,y$OAYNOQ kKl_B ? Blogs] [Links] Grand Lodge Dues 24 Conducting an Election of Officers 24-25 Section . The election (or rejection) of a candidate in a Masonic lodge is a secret ballot, and with few exceptions, must be completely unanimous. While the . Each officer and member, before voting, must exchange the altar.". 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. 2. This site is not an official site of any recognized Masonic body in the United Each incoming class of three shall consist of the incoming Junior Warden of the lodge (which has its own bylaws), and. SECRETARY FORMS AND REPORTS | Grand Lodge of Georgia, F. & A.M.

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