If no candidate is found, the committee can leave that slot open for nominations from the floor. _____ and place it on the
AUTHORITY. Ask for nominations for an officer position. Our officer installations aren't held during a tiled meeting (although they could be); they are open ceremonies with guests. Achieve this by asking them to hang out with you. 234 0 obj
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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. BALLOTING and LODGE ELECTIONS Excerpt from the Report of The Discipline Committee - Our 2014 Proceedings - Page 96: "The Committee also had its attention drawn to instances of irregular balloting procedures being of lodges. This method of nominations is based on the principle of allowing all voters to make nominations for all offices by completing a nominating ballot. Procedure for Contempt: CHAPTER 101: Restoration after Suspension or Expulsion: CHAPTER 102: 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. ____ for the ensuing Masonic year. Lodge to vote, the Master should invite the tiler in and have a
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A member has the right to vote until the polls are closed. However, we open the Lodge on the 3rd then call to refreshment, invite everyome in, after the ceremony the WM closes without form. <>>>
endobj 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 then takes up a
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. %
6. Masonry doesn't care about your worldly wealth or social position. endobj
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WM: "You will present the ballot to the officers and
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", JW: "Fair (cloudy) in the South, Worshipful. j]Ic[faPhgcP0U0.!boS/]9[[3+:;:+:Q1DX. _____ cast their ballot?" 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. hb```BVG ea8 P}+/m 13 0 obj
<< /Length 12 0 R /Type /XObject /Subtype /Image /Width 610 /Height 521 /ColorSpace 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. 6 0 obj endobj
Discover the world's largest and oldest fraternal organization with over 3 million members. Balloting must continue until a candidate receives a majority. and the Master may oblige him to do so. Grand Lodge Dues 24 Conducting an Election of Officers 24-25 Section . Brethren, I declare that you have
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d$WZ3bVasYf`$exq> )Zg A newly raised Master . Also, military lodges in foreign countries, often perform business meetings on the EA degree. Rules may include how long the organization saves ballots and how long members can wait to challenge an election. To help with the Masonic experience at Lodge meetings, you were allowed to open on any degree, and use the Chamber The balloting committee can still count the ballots. Nominations are taken for successive offices in the order they're listed in the bylaws. collect the ballots, the Deacons approach the altar, pick up the hats,
75-3 METHODS OF AFFILIATION. 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. HWG l!$"' g]9=3>3U}Zo.wjyiQo?\>,:lFYE#q IBZ.rwi/A%f_N'_LDX report from the investigating committee. The Committee on Masonic Education and Information of . Both a bank's president and janitor can apply for membership, and they're considered equally qualified. Your group's rules and customs determine when floor nominations are accepted. This method requires more time for the election process, making it probably best limited to smaller groups. 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. altar.". A motion to open nominations, when made by a member, is usually a motion to reopen nominations after they have been closed. In a ballot vote, after the ballot counters have collected all the ballots, a member can make the motion to adjourn. *
WB Christopher J. Hathaway was raised in Catlin Masonic Lodge #285 and is a plural member of Normal . <>>>
appears the ballot shall be immediately retaken, and if a blackball
When the nominations stop, the chair just declares nominations closed after making sure that no more nominations are forthcoming. Blogs] [Links]
The election (or rejection) of a candidate in a Masonic lodge is a secret ballot, and with few exceptions, must be completely unanimous. 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. If this occurs and it does not affect the outcome of the vote, the election is still valid. distinctive apron has been designated by the Grand Lodge is present at a Masonic meeting or communication, he may wear the apron so designated. some brother of the Lodge other than the Secretary should tally and
salute with the Worshipful Master. and the Past Masters around the Lodge and places the ballot box on the
It may not display this or other websites correctly. Each officer and member, before voting, must exchange the
Usually the president closes nominations when no further nominations come forward from the assembly. 4. Interestingly, some years ago, Virginia implemented a dues amnesty program. Freemasonry, the teachings and practices of the fraternal (men-only) order of Free and Accepted Masons, the largest worldwide secret societyan oath-bound society, often devoted to fellowship, moral discipline, and mutual assistance, that conceals at least some of its rituals, customs, or activities from the public (secret societies do not Like any incidental main motion, an election can be decided by voice vote or by ballot. Taking nominations by mail is basically the same as taking nominations by ballot. endobj
HB280 - Allows a weapons carry license holder to hold a handgun concealed whereas on campus of public technical schools and public colleges. Your members may wind up voting for Mr. Low as the compromise candidate. <>
In most of the same grand lodge jurisdictions, there is also a G painted, sculpted, or otherwise suspended in the symbolic East of the lodge room (typically over the Master's chair).. The duty of a nominating committee is to find the best candidate for each office. A late-arriving member can vote only with other members' consent by majority vote. 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. 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). Lodge No. it to the Master who inspects the ballot box making sure that the
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*.MXPY!~@Aa%^ N&4D1la`:v@Ai,^t #. 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. 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. The committee must carefully review the eligibility requirements for each office and see that the nominees meet these requirements. 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. 15 0 obj
If a member notices a mistake in procedure, he or she should immediately make the chair and assembly aware of his concerns. 2. (or for affiliation) which has received a unanimously favorable
If counting ballots takes some time, it is best for the assembly to take a recess instead of adjourn. <>
An officer election form is a document used by groups, clubs, and organizations to elect leaders and fill vacant positions. The Senior Deacon presents the ballot to each officer
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. Whatever nomination method you propose, be specific. Every lodge is incorporated and required to have corporate officers. 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. Secretary prepares ballots for each position to be
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Conducting an Election of Officers p. 25 Section III. For this reason, members should listen carefully to the report of the ballot counters' committee. After the period during which a recount can be conducted has passed, you don't need to keep the ballots. The election of lodge officers is an annual event, specified in the lodge bylaws. You are using an out of date browser. A parade of misfortunes had culminated by forcing potato planter Fred Jensen to stop his cross-country dash 85 miles short of his destination. 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. *(cM YiVo~r049>Kwz,8*#]qVLB`l:HM\7Gj#?#PV(F"y@f4 @hbe2q&8%RYcM`uU;ap10n You take nominations from the floor for one office, and when no further nominations are forthcoming, you proceed to the balloting for that office. 0
LODGE VISITATION - A PRIVILEGE. The presiding officer can continue presiding, even if he or she is one of the nominees for the office. The mechanics of the election are governed by a few sections of the Minnesota Masonic Code and quite a bit of lodge tradition. 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. Ballot counters should cast their ballots at the same time that the assembly votes. The above procedure is repeated for each position or
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. endobj
petition(s) of _______________ for the degrees of Freemasonry,
Join us as we strive to make good men better by teaching universal values through the use of geometry and architecture metaphors. Officers Duties and Responsibilities . 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. visiting brother take his place so that the tiler may cast his
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. A motion to close nominations is usually not necessary unless it is apparent that members are nominating people just to honor them, and that the nominees have no intention of serving. Talks] [Masonic
The committee then has to find a new nominee, and the members have to vote again. will advance to the altar and cast their ballot. [What is New]
His term expires July, 2014.". Illegal votes cast by legal voters count toward the total votes cast, but they don't count for any individual choice or candidate. yy MWY*^K$@48SyFHv! This site is not an official site of any recognized Masonic body in the United
If members haven't used the machine before, it may be wise to show them how to use it the day before the election. The ballots are tallied very much like an election ballot, and the report becomes the list of nominees for each office. 5 0 obj
It is for informational purposes only and does not necessarily reflect the views
It is for informational purposes only and does not necessarily reflect the views
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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. By establishing plural membership in a North Carolina Business meetings are held on the EA degree in European lodge. It's used in the vast majority of situations in which members elect their officers at a meeting. <>
Elections are decided by majority vote unless your bylaws provide differently. 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. However only Masters can vote. Organizations can create and write election rules to correct this mistake. You must log in or register to reply here. 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. Mail or absentee ballots not arriving on time or mysteriously disappearing when the time comes to count them. 127. It varies! 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! My Freemasonry | Freemason Information and Discussion Forum. It is considered a faux pas to cross . "If so, I declare the
(The chair usually just announces the opening of nominations at the appointed time when they are in order. 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. If your assembly's members are accountable to a constituency, your rules may require you to conduct your elections by roll-call vote. stream
Tradition holds that the Master of the lodge appoint a committee of three (usually Past Masters) to serve as a Tellers Committee. 8 0 obj
2. In the vote for the position of Worshipful Master
a portion or all of the petition(s) reread? shall be immediately retaken, when, if a blackball again appears, the
the name on the ballot and the Secretary repeats the name and tallies
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. 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. Doing this may allow an unpopular or hand-picked candidate to get the office even though he or she was not elected. Masonic Etiquette Summary: Masonic etiquette is simply the rules of good manners which make lodge meetings pleasant for everyone.
If lodge functions go smoothly, it is the Master who takes the credit. << /Length 5 0 R /Filter /FlateDecode >> 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 . place with the Senior and Junior Wardens alternating in calling the
Members should be alert to some undemocratic political practices in organizations. 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. States or elsewhere. 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. 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. The Lodge web page must not link to or be linked to by any website where a conflict . Magazines Online]
but their new year lodge elections and officer installations have been delayed due to their inability to meet. Nominations don't have to be seconded, but it's not out of order for members to second a nomination to signal their endorsement. <>
the vote. One vote against the petitioner generally rejects him.