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. % 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. However only Masters can vote. When called on to give the report, the chairman of the nominating committee states the nominations for each office. 4[>56[Wbz ; ~D.Lf Y`S=#A.%* ^Ckk8a)W=Lt!z3 EHDG}S?#&,y$OAYNOQ kKl_B ? Nominations are taken for successive offices in the order they're listed in the bylaws. will advance to the altar and cast their ballot. A member can rise and decline the nomination during the nominating process. 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 You are using an out of date browser. Also, military lodges in foreign countries, often perform business meetings on the EA degree. it to the Master who inspects the ballot box making sure that the After nominations are closed, the vote is taken on each nominee in the order in which they were nominated. Any blue lodge that does not hold annual election of officers is considered irregular by most Grand Lodges. of Freemasonry, nor webmaster nor those of any The Committee on Masonic Education and Information of . <> Nominations don't have to be seconded, but it's not out of order for members to second a nomination to signal their endorsement. majority of those voting being necessary for election, and the Worshipful Our officer installations aren't held during a tiled meeting (although they could be); they are open ceremonies with guests. 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. The secretary places all nominations in the minutes. ballot closed." Business meetings are held on the EA degree in European lodge. According to Robert's Rules, a motion to close nominations is out of order as long as any member wishes to make a nomination. The Worshipful Master orders the Wardens to take endobj At the Worshipful Masters order the Wardens to 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. You take nominations from the floor for one office, and when no further nominations are forthcoming, you proceed to the balloting for that office. 11 0 obj 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. If the ballot vote decides an election, you're instructed to write the name of the nominee of your choice on your ballot. 234 0 obj <> endobj 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. States or elsewhere. When two gavel knocks are heard, only officers of the lodge stand. Tradition holds that the Master of the lodge appoint a committee of three (usually Past Masters) to serve as a Tellers Committee. Secretary prepares ballots for each position to be elected. All business is done in a MM lodge. 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. endobj 5 0 obj The Master then casts his own vote. << /Length 12 0 R /Type /XObject /Subtype /Image /Width 610 /Height 521 /ColorSpace The committee must carefully review the eligibility requirements for each office and see that the nominees meet these requirements. election of officers in April each year. Lodge No. endstream Some organizations add nominees to the ballot only if the name is submitted on a petition signed by some minimum number of members. 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. a portion or all of the petition(s) reread? <> _____ Every lodge is incorporated and required to have corporate officers. %PDF-1.7 % mistake.". to the Junior Warden, then the Senior Warden and then the Worshipful Blogs] [Links] 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. If your bylaws don't require you to conduct an election by ballot, and if candidates are unopposed or there's no major contest for an office, you can save time with a simple voice vote (or viva voce). 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. <> In Europe, it takes often a year, to advance per degree. (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 $5000.00 or such lesser amount as the District Grand Lodge shall by resolution from time to time determine. The Trustees of the Charitable Foundation have authorized the "build out" of the Grand Lodge Library into the space formerly the drive through banking area. Only MMs vote. :7YA/gOwNw|\g[u|I}?F. qQ^&FJ J } Two top hats are placed on the kneeling pad at foot of altar. As each nomination is received (assuming multiple candidates), ask each nominee "If elected, are you willing to serve?" endobj If a person has been nominated to more than one office and is elected to two offices, he or she can choose which office he or she wants. A Lodge member who has held the highest office in the Lodge has for life a Masonic position of his own. If members leave during the meeting so that a quorum is not present, those offices not yet elected must be put off until an adjourned meeting or until the next meeting. Ie!W2UP7MEdq-2Y+(jVW`Y, z?D;tr>[iqqF7!FR$uh?%b elected (rejected) Mister ___________ for the degrees of ", WM: "How in the West, Brother Senior Warden? Procedure for Contempt: CHAPTER 101: Restoration after Suspension or Expulsion: CHAPTER 102: <> - "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 . 'xzwQ38/4b|T}R-g|7uhw 4!"icE)S7AEo The minutes may say, for example, "Eric Olson was elected to the board for two years. 7 0 obj j]Ic[faPhgcP0U0.!boS/]9[[3+:;:+:Q1DX. 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. The Senior Deacon closes the lid on the ballot. 4 0 obj 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. <> Magazines Online] 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. If no candidate is found, the committee can leave that slot open for nominations from the floor. A member has the right to vote until the polls are closed. Members should be alert to some undemocratic political practices in organizations. ^. My Freemasonry | Freemason Information and Discussion Forum. endobj 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. 705 South Hercules Avenue. ____________ Lodge No. JFIF C HWG l!$"' g]9=3>3U}Zo.wjyiQo?\>,:lFYE#q IBZ.rwi/A%f_N'_LDX Past Masters have a standing in Masonic Law; certain duties may be assigned to them. It is for informational purposes only and does not necessarily reflect the views %PDF-1.5 % <> 6 0 obj Brethren, I declare that you have Ballot voting is by far the surest way to allow for the free expression of the will of the membership. Grand Lodge Dues 24 Conducting an Election of Officers 24-25 Section . collect the ballots and place the hats with the ballots at the If there is a question about the way a ballot is marked, the ballot counters should take it to the presiding officer. The Masonic rituals provided here are as practiced under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Nevada, circa 1986. ;D[{cv,#(145:n') Nominees do not have to leave the room during the nominations, when the vote is taken, or when the vote is counted. 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. 2. * [What is Freemasonry] [Leadership << /Im1 11 0 R >> >> Introduction. 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. position north of the altar. 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. 587 << /Length 5 0 R /Filter /FlateDecode >> The assembly then votes again on the other office. By absolute demit, [ Chapter 76] 3. RESOLVED, that the Handbook of Masonic Law, Digest of Edicts, sec- Authors of Resolution: Bros. John F. tion on Perpetual Membership, pages Knox, Jr., P.M., W.H. The secretary repeats the vote after recording it, to ensure accuracy. 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 vote. A properly planned and executed meeting results in good participation. 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 presiding officer votes along with all the other members, although she is never allowed to cast a tie-breaker in a ballot vote. LODGE VISITATION - A PRIVILEGE. Club elections and officers are an integral part of the organization and must be conducted according to the group's bylaws and rules. A member may for indecorous or unmasonic conduct be excluded from a single meeting of the lodge. 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 A late-arriving member can vote only with other members' consent by majority vote. A newly raised Master . Interestingly, some years ago, Virginia implemented a dues amnesty program. 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 Same in NM amd OR. I /8ZzeL%kxF~/a&MBkd/cK"zBARqG(/%:}4Q;l@)R^M,s;p Rx P~DV(GR,&Gj;v}yh/5F3ibD,eZJ the Senior Warden hands each ballot to the Junior Warden who announces Electing a presiding officer in a mass meeting Nominations From The Floor Sometimes called open nominations, this method is probably the most familiar. 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. of altar. If they don't set a time for an adjourned meeting, they can call a special meeting (if the bylaws allow this). Past Masters of ____________ Lodge No. (The chair usually just announces the opening of nominations at the appointed time when they are in order. If a member notices a mistake in procedure, he or she should immediately make the chair and assembly aware of his concerns. "30*5gDcJuk.w^m=12Ua&0cE'|H%KV L%|c]c0l;v=[, Cj+M 38xHDL\. If this occurs and it does not affect the outcome of the vote, the election is still valid. 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. 2. If the bylaws specifically address this situation, members should follow the bylaws. 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. The Code has two primary chapters that describe the process of voting in subordinate lodges. may use different methods of electing officers. 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. applicant shall be declared rejected. Books Online] [E-Books] [Library Of altar.". 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. Freemasonry's Requirements for Membership. Some Lodges For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. 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. If counting ballots takes some time, it is best for the assembly to take a recess instead of adjourn. This saves time and allows for polling at a time and place other than a meeting. The position of Worshipful Master in the East occupies the most exalted position within the lodge. visiting brother take his place so that the tiler may cast his 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. Ballot counters should cast their ballots at the same time that the assembly votes. Officers Duties and Responsibilities . %%EOF 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. To lend a professional air to the proceedings, suggest that brothers wear a collared shirt and tie, especially the candidates. It is the duty of every member present to vote, {V++6o <>`ulr<>[lLDdTVVQ4Mt{<1iz;E 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. again appears the petitioner shall be declared rejected, but he may at 3. endobj %PDF-1.5 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. [Articles] [Masonic In balloting on a petition for affiliation, if one blackball One of the most important franchises which the Masonic character offers is THE ELECTION OF MASTER FOR THE ENSUING TWELVE MONTHS. The duty of a nominating committee is to find the best candidate for each office. 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. endobj WM: "Brother Junior Warden, how stands the ballot in . the South? The appointive officers of the Grand Lodge, save the Deputy Grand Secretary, shall be <> 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. so presented that each officer and member shall cast his ballot Talks] [Masonic 75-3 METHODS OF AFFILIATION. 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. Talks] [Masonic Achieve this by asking them to hang out with you. WM: "Brethren, you have heard read the While the . endobj These elections are to vote on new top lodge officers in the blue lodge. Jump to content The Official RONR Q & A Forums After each nomination, the president repeats the name to the assembly. If lodge functions go smoothly, it is the Master who takes the credit. endstream A person can nominate himself or herself. Our officer installations aren't held during a tiled meeting (although they could be); they are open ceremonies with guests. 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. It may not display this or other websites correctly. 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. The election process may be the easiest part of deciding who handles a particular job in the organization. Robert's Rules on elections are very straightforward after what is often a politically charged prequel of nominating and campaigning. Conducting an Election of Officers p. 25 Section III. [ 11 0 R] 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. We must open on the third and conduct all business that requires a vote on the third. 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 election (or rejection) of a candidate in a Masonic lodge is a secret ballot, and with few exceptions, must be completely unanimous. Secretarys table and put the ballots into one of the hats. 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. A ballot shall be taken for the three degrees When the secretary prepares the eligibility list for the meeting, only those members who are willing to serve are on the list. 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. ojx&^ 64>"> |&`mkG l[o;5``ek l[;5zk Vhp 5Pq_t.Z1lhp3M \H{Tl nF$UkavOv1nT#-`mkp;m ~l 3ohG nF_..}$38~?g}z+O}?.]7?"kR7tFWo'E^ "EJ*F/'NPTAT,4)/ItJl8KgHC#unG &;iL-;G[_gC 6{-sMIa{vN_CwNeCE +]`7)$k,2? Or, they can tell members publicly that they do not have a nominee for a certain office; this allows members to volunteer. Section 3. 0 At the Worshipful Masters order the Stewards Adam is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in Pennsylvania and is employed as a Senior Manager of International Tax in Latrobe, PA. Clearwater Lodge No. Here is how: You must first find a Masonic lodge location near you, contact them, and ask for a petition to join. Masonic etiquette decries anyone who does not obey the gavel. 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. A motion to open nominations, when made by a member, is usually a motion to reopen nominations after they have been closed. Two top hats are placed on the kneeling pad at foot If the bylaws don't prohibit it, a person can be nominated for more than one office and can even serve in more than one office if elected. Nomination by petition is another method of nomination by mail; provisions must be made for it in the bylaws, and standard forms must be provided to candidates and electors upon request. Brother Secretary conduct a roll call. <> If someone is not willing to serve, the committee needs to meet again and find another candidate. As JPM of my lodge, I've been asked to serve in this role for our upcoming officer elections. 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. The following shall be the methods of affiliation: 1. 6. 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. Yes, every year Masonic Lodges do have elections. Only MMs vote. Are there any further nominations for president? stream Apply a check mark to indicate the choice wherever . altar. endstream endobj startxref ), 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. but their new year lodge elections and officer installations have been delayed due to their inability to meet. You follow the same procedures for elections by ballot, as far as arriving at the point of the election is concerned, but instead of casting your vote by ballot, each member announces his vote when the secretary calls that person's name. Remember brethren, a Nominations for each office are followed by the election for that office. <>>> Polls closing or opening at times different than the times posted. 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. "If so, I declare the Our officer installations aren't held during a tiled meeting (although they could be); they are open ceremonies with guests. You must come recommended by at least two existing Freemasons from the lodge you're petitioning. In the vote for the position of Worshipful Master programs and procedures of the Grand Lodge of Ohio, a Masonic District and their Lodge. charge of the Ballot and they pick up the hats, take them to the 3. Fund raising is underway. At the end of each successful vote the ballots 14 0 R /BitsPerComponent 8 /Filter /FlateDecode >> 11 0 obj Sometimes called open nominations, this method is probably the most familiar. accept?" If the lodge is not able to contact the individual after a reasonable period of time, the non-paying Mason is dropped (suspended). 15 0 obj A common mistake in elections is having too many ballots cast for the number of members present. The process of making floor nominations is subject to the following rules: Recognition by the chair is not required to make a nomination. endstream endobj startxref 7. The requirement for election by ballot is a majority, and a candidate has no obligation to withdraw just because he polls low numbers. . Voting machines having wedges inserted to prevent the lever from going down all the way. 2 0 obj It is for informational purposes only and does not necessarily reflect the views 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. You must log in or register to reply here. No officer of a Masonic lodge may take up his elected or appointed duties until formally installed to his office by proper authority. <> 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 your assembly's members are accountable to a constituency, your rules may require you to conduct your elections by roll-call vote. Freemasons meet in a temple, which they call a "lodge", as that is where ancient stonemasons met when working on a church or cathedral Lodges are grouped by region, roughly in line with the old. The balloting committee can still count the ballots. These rules supersede the adopted parliamentary authority. However, it disadvantages candidates who lose an election for a position decided earlier and then can't serve a different position. 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. Ballot voting is the preferred voting method in situations in which knowing how all the members voted isn't desirable. This requires secretaries (and possibly grand secretaries if different jurisdictions) to get involved, but is a somewhat common occurrence. endobj Pause. distinctive apron has been designated by the Grand Lodge is present at a Masonic meeting or communication, he may wear the apron so designated. collectively, and in the case of one blackball appearing therein it This method of nominations is based on the principle of allowing all voters to make nominations for all offices by completing a nominating ballot. 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.. announce the results of the vote. gjzUS&31+W&nck')*Uf{|mON6E4GKIpFT(o o.RJ MXqy-) MR A parade of misfortunes had culminated by forcing potato planter Fred Jensen to stop his cross-country dash 85 miles short of his destination. 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 16 0 obj By transfer of membership, maintaining continuous membership, and 4. f;-^*//%^je)R%^eKuZJQ\LU/Zgy:FDt8KF:US1OG+T/5i]\V5qhw`6mjzS"m].#{T^]q p;43[9[C nF^y' 64 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 entire ballot counters' report should be included in the minutes of the meeting. 4. x`TU?5%BBH*5XHRjD5IPJ@Z"MDE]sm.Cs)}{n/JFtZ_!ms6g:8_\Xt hq[gGBqvZ(}%p&N"4t 4b2hEs JavaScript is disabled. Secretary prepares ballots for each position to be This site is not an official site of any recognized Masonic body in the United All officers resume their stations and Work on making your brothers become better friends. 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. 2. and the Past Masters around the Lodge and places the ballot box on the 66 0 obj <>stream If an EA is not attending, it is the option of the WM as to which lodge will be opened. Each question on a multipart ballot is counted as a separate ballot. Also, members rarely move to close nominations because, whenever no further nominations are offered, the chair usually just declares, "Hearing no further nominations, nominations for the office of [name the office] are closed.". (or for affiliation) which has received a unanimously favorable