xU]o@|_cZR%q"b$*/}E(k nK6hb'_ D(|}5Dsq PBY%_'Dru.{,dW9PeOw9 d6!=#3r/iby+4C~9^-GT.d A Lodge supporting this vital outreach of the Foundation, will be properly noted. Usually the president closes nominations when no further nominations come forward from the assembly. During an election, especially when ballot counters are not trained or when candidates are running in opposition, members may become aware of mistakes or illegal procedures in collecting or counting the ballots. PDF 2015 01 30 Installation of Officers of Local Lodges Organizations can create and write election rules to correct this mistake. other regular Masonic body other than those stated. Motions to close nominations are usually unnecessary because the nomination process simply continues until no one wishes to make further nominations. 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. If members question the validity of an election or the procedure in taking the vote, a member should make a motion to recount the votes within a reasonably brief time after the president announces the election outcome. Your group's rules and customs determine when floor nominations are accepted. PDF Constitution of The Grand Lodge Lodge to vote, the Master should invite the tiler in and have a The process of making floor nominations is subject to the following rules: Recognition by the chair is not required to make a nomination. ballot closed." It's used in the vast majority of situations in which members elect their officers at a meeting. You take nominations from the floor for one office, and when no further nominations are forthcoming, you proceed to the balloting for that office. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. 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. 6 0 obj If there is a question about the way a ballot is marked, the ballot counters should take it to the presiding officer. Annual Election of Lodge Officers - Blogger 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. 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. PDF Guidance Notes for Lodge Secretaries in Hertfordshire When using this procedure, make it clear that a person can be nominated for and elected to more than one office. Chapter XV - Balloting Procedure - The Masonic Trowel Since it is the obligation of every brother of the 234 0 obj <> endobj unobserved by others, so that the secrecy of the ballot shall be 3 0 obj If the ballot vote decides an election, you're instructed to write the name of the nominee of your choice on your ballot. of Freemasonry, nor webmaster nor those of any Decision Making For Dummies. Enter your official identification and contact details. Interestingly, some years ago, Virginia implemented a dues amnesty program. 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). Robert's Rules of Order, Nominations And Elections - Westside Toastmasters Chapter 63 covers general voting and Chapter 68 covers the secret ballot. /Rotate 0 >> The brother responds. Chapter XVII - Suggested Procedure For Electing Lodge Officers endobj mistake.". _____ and place it on the report from the investigating committee. It's used in the vast majority of situations in which members elect their officers at a meeting. The mechanics of the election are governed by a few sections of the Minnesota Masonic Code and quite a bit of lodge tradition. 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. 13 0 obj Master. A ballot shall be taken for the three degrees Every lodge is incorporated and required to have corporate officers. endobj Past Masters of ____________ Lodge No. some brother of the Lodge other than the Secretary should tally and If someone is not willing to serve, the committee needs to meet again and find another candidate. A Lodge member who has held the highest office in the Lodge has for life a Masonic position of his own. WM: "Brethren, you have heard read the Secretary prepares ballots for each position to be However, we open the Lodge on the 3rd then call to refreshment, invite everyome in, after the ceremony the WM closes without form. (or for affiliation) which has received a unanimously favorable Does any brother wish to have When the nominations stop, the chair just declares nominations closed after making sure that no more nominations are forthcoming. Grand Lodge Committee on Masonic Education: CHAPTER 31: Lodge Service Commission: CHAPTER 32: . Whatever nomination method you propose, be specific. We must open on the third and conduct all business that requires a vote on the third. Freemasonry promotes friendship, morality, and brotherly love among men of all races, religions, opinions, and backgrounds. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Work on making your brothers become better friends. 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. 5. endobj 3. Do Freemasons elect their top leadership? - Freemasonry Report Lodge Election Procedures "Worshipful Master (WM) or Preceding Officer" 1. 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 Code has two primary chapters that describe the process of voting in subordinate lodges. [Feedback]. You must log in or register to reply here. 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. collect the ballots and place the hats with the ballots at the or opinion endobj PDF The NJ Freemason Spring 2019 - Grand Lodge of New Jersey By absolute demit, [ Chapter 76] 3. At the Worshipful Master s order the Stewards distribute the ballots for the first position to be voted upon. 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. endobj ^. 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 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. If the committee does its job well, the membership can enjoy some basic assurance that the candidates nominated have at least expressed interest in the job, have agreed to serve, and are qualified for the offices for which they're nominated. This saves time and allows for polling at a time and place other than a meeting. Further, I don't think I have ever seen a Lodge election where there isn't some form of politics involved. elected (rejected) Mister ___________ for the degrees of It varies! the vote. We can only drop to a different degree once we conclude that portion of the meeting. Votes cast by illegal voters must not be counted at all, not even included in the number of total votes cast. If you have only two candidates and the vote is a tie, you repeat the balloting until one candidate receives a majority. When two gavel knocks are heard, only officers of the lodge stand. The election of lodge officers is an annual event, specified in the lodge bylaws. The Grand Lodge was founded shortly after George I, the first Hanoverian king of the Kingdom of Great Britain, ascended to the throne on 1 August 1714 and the end of the first Jacobite rising of 1715.. Officially, the Grand Lodge of England was founded in London on St. John the Baptist's day, 24 June 1717, when four existing Lodges gathered at the Goose and Gridiron Ale-house in St. Paul's . F - Clubhouse We can only drop to a different degree once we conclude that portion of the meeting. Because fraud does happen in the election process, members need to be alert and watchful of the election process. 3. Books Online] [E-Books] [Library Of At the Worshipful Masters order the Stewards Often the extra ballot comes from someone who has entered the assembly but has not signed in to the meeting. "30*5gDcJuk.w^m=12Ua&0cE'|H%KV L%|c]c0l;v=[, Cj+M 38xHDL\. x`TU?5%BBH*5XHRjD5IPJ@Z"MDE]sm.Cs)}{n/JFtZ_!ms6g:8_\Xt hq[gGBqvZ(}%p&N"4t 4b2hEs stream 4. You are using an out of date browser. << /Type /Page /Parent 3 0 R /Resources 6 0 R /Contents 4 0 R /MediaBox [0 0 612 792] Application Letter To Join Masonry - Fill Out and Sign Printable PDF endobj Our officer installations aren't held during a tiled meeting (although they could be); they are open ceremonies with guests. Two top hats are placed on the kneeling pad at foot Suggested Procedure For Electing Lodge Officers. One of the most important franchises which the Masonic character offers is THE ELECTION OF MASTER FOR THE ENSUING TWELVE MONTHS. Blogs] [Links] distinctive apron has been designated by the Grand Lodge is present at a Masonic meeting or communication, he may wear the apron so designated. An officer election form is a document used by groups, clubs, and organizations to elect leaders and fill vacant positions. It has its own identity and recognition and carries with it the title of "Past Master". 16 0 obj and the Past Masters around the Lodge and places the ballot box on the My Freemasonry | Freemason Information and Discussion Forum. % Freemason Requirements | Dallas Freemasonry The Senior Deacon then takes up a Register a free account today to become a member! After the person elected to office assumes the position, it is too late to nullify an illegal election. Masonic lodge officer - Wikipedia << /Im1 11 0 R >> >> To which Blaise replies "Yeah, 200 bucks is pretty steep.". If a member notices a mistake in procedure, he or she should immediately make the chair and assembly aware of his concerns. WM: "Have all of the brethren of _______________ The secretary places all nominations in the minutes. 3 ways to keep your Masonic Lodge from closing its doors If counting ballots takes some time, it is best for the assembly to take a recess instead of adjourn. The requirement for election by ballot is a majority, and a candidate has no obligation to withdraw just because he polls low numbers. election of officers in April each year. 75-3 METHODS OF AFFILIATION. ;D[{cv,#(145:n') You simply say, "Mr. Chairman, I move that the chair appoint a committee of three to consider and make recommendations on the replacement of Mr. Exeter, who has resigned as chairman of the membership committee." 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. 14 0 R /BitsPerComponent 8 /Filter /FlateDecode >> of Freemasonry, nor webmaster nor those of any Dud goes wide-eyed at hearing this and immediately leaves the lodge because he realizes he's been played by . 10. 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 12 0 obj Any blue lodge that does not hold annual election of officers is considered irregular by most Grand Lodges. Westside Toastmasters is located in Los Angeles and Santa Monica, California. 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 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. 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. 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. Is it permissible to hold election of officers in an EA lodge? Doing this may allow an unpopular or hand-picked candidate to get the office even though he or she was not elected. 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. [ 11 0 R] Like all of us, I've heard it annually since the election in the year of my raising. These Masonic rituals represent three degrees which are taken in sequence. Conducting Local Union Officer Elections | U.S. Department of Labor WM: "The brethren of ____________ Lodge No. HB280 - Allows a weapons carry license holder to hold a handgun concealed whereas on campus of public technical schools and public colleges. stream . charge of the Ballot and they pick up the hats, take them to the 66 0 obj <>stream The minutes may say, for example, "Eric Olson was elected to the board for two years. Masters are required to see that the ballot box is Yes, every year Masonic Lodges do have elections. 2. 2 0 obj As each nomination is received (assuming multiple candidates), ask each nominee "If elected, are you willing to serve?" Each incoming class of three shall consist of the incoming Junior Warden of the lodge (which has its own bylaws), 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. MASONIC ETIQUETTE - Correct Lodge Behavior. We can conduct lodge business in the EA degree in Minnesota, but only Master Masons can vote. collectively, and in the case of one blackball appearing therein it All officers resume their stations and My Freemasonry | Freemason Information and Discussion Forum. 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 newly raised Master . Welcome | Grand Lodge of NC 1. and the Master may oblige him to do so. % That job belongs to the presiding officer, who reads the report again to the members, concluding with a formal declaration of the result. endobj Nominations are taken for successive offices in the order they're listed in the bylaws. endstream endobj startxref Once you're a Master Mason, you've got a few options. WB Christopher J. Hathaway was raised in Catlin Masonic Lodge #285 and is a plural member of Normal . The advanced tools of the editor will guide you through the editable PDF template. Freemasonry | Definition, History, Stages, Lodges, & Facts That means run-offs are just plain out of order. This site is not an official site of any recognized Masonic body in the United should be destroyed. endstream endobj startxref The mechanics of the election are governed by a few sections of the Minnesota Masonic Code and quite a bit of lodge tradition. 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. The election process may be the easiest part of deciding who handles a particular job in the organization. may use different methods of electing officers. 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. <>>> 2 0 obj 2. 1. Sometimes the committee is revived to make nominations to fill vacancies. In Kentucky, the individual is normally sent a certified letter. 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. 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. Balloting must continue until a candidate receives a majority. Pause. << /Length 12 0 R /Type /XObject /Subtype /Image /Width 610 /Height 521 /ColorSpace Cell phones, chewing gum, crinkly snack wrappers and other distractions should be disallowed during a fraternity election (except during breaks). announce the results of the vote. endobj In either case, you need to appoint reliable ballot counters to hand out and collect ballots and to count the votes. hb```e``b`f``cg@ ~}"S-(1I)|p(0)P5oDurCAfG3f1,-- d$WZ3bVasYf`$exq> )Zg While the . f;-^*//%^je)R%^eKuZJQ\LU/Zgy:FDt8KF:US1OG+T/5i]\V5qhw`6mjzS"m].#{T^]q p;43[9[C nF^y' 64 The entire ballot counters' report should be included in the minutes of the meeting. 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.