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 In most cases, the threshold is a majority of the votes cast. [ 11 0 R] Marshal takes up his place at the West Gate and the Junior Deacon Here are some other things to consider during the election process: A quorum needs to be present throughout the election meeting. 15 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. unobserved by others, so that the secrecy of the ballot shall be endobj 587 _____ and place it on the As each nomination is received (assuming multiple candidates), ask each nominee "If elected, are you willing to serve?" ;J @*Ix~6ia 023X85i=%/v')^KkHaQaA {DCAH ' %%EOF Suggested Procedure For Electing Lodge Officers. Crossing the G. In most grand lodge jurisdictions, rituals call for an altar to be placed in the center of the lodge room holding the respective Volume of Sacred Law. 234 0 obj <> endobj other regular Masonic body other than those stated. <> white ball elects; a black cube rejects. once petition the same or any other Lodge in the jurisdiction. 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. endobj endobj some brother of the Lodge other than the Secretary should tally and The Lodge web page must not link to or be linked to by any website where a conflict . It is for informational purposes only and does not necessarily reflect the views 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. In a voice vote, the winner is easy to determine and the vote is over when someone wins the election. and the Master may oblige him to do so. Sometimes there is a split in the nominating committee over who to nominate. 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. (rap). It is for informational purposes only and does not necessarily reflect the views AUTHORITY. All officers resume their stations and Decision Making For Dummies. It's used in the vast majority of situations in which members elect their officers at a meeting. 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. Don't implement a new process to 450 lodges until it is . 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 vote. You must come recommended by at least two existing Freemasons from the lodge you're petitioning. The requirement for election by ballot is a majority, and a candidate has no obligation to withdraw just because he polls low numbers. Small technical errors, such as spelling mistakes or marking an X when a checkmark is called for, don't make a vote illegal as long as the voter's intent is discernible. stream 0 Clearwater Lodge No. rejection. These elections happen in the end of the year to elect the following years leadership team. A member has the right to vote until the polls are closed. been rejected by a Lodge shall again be proposed within six months after will advance to the altar and cast their ballot. 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. At the Worshipful Masters order the Wardens to "30*5gDcJuk.w^m=12Ua&0cE'|H%KV L%|c]c0l;v=[, Cj+M 38xHDL\. The secretary places all nominations in the minutes. endstream endobj startxref <> j]Ic[faPhgcP0U0.!boS/]9[[3+:;:+:Q1DX. (After June 15, individual counties and cities could choose to continue their own meeting limitations, in which case those limitations would continue in force.) Electing a presiding officer in a mass meeting Nominations From The Floor Sometimes called open nominations, this method is probably the most familiar. Ballot counters should cast their ballots at the same time that the assembly votes. It has its own identity and recognition and carries with it the title of "Past Master". 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. endobj Secretary prepares ballots for each position to be These elections are to vote on new top lodge officers in the blue lodge. %PDF-1.5 %PDF-1.5 % Organizations can create and write election rules to correct this mistake. The position of Worshipful Master in the East occupies the most exalted position within the lodge. A parade of misfortunes had culminated by forcing potato planter Fred Jensen to stop his cross-country dash 85 miles short of his destination. A member of the committee should then be designated to call each nominee to see if he or she is willing to serve if elected. While the . 2 0 obj collect the ballots, the Deacons approach the altar, pick up the hats, Whatever nomination method you propose, be specific. 4 0 obj 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 Books Online] [E-Books] [Library Of If this occurs and it does not affect the outcome of the vote, the election is still valid. 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. * (rap once). In either case, you need to appoint reliable ballot counters to hand out and collect ballots and to count the votes. 3. JFIF C /Rotate 0 >> Our officer installations aren't held during a tiled meeting (although they could be); they are open ceremonies with guests. LODGE VISITATION - A PRIVILEGE. 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 you have a nominating committee in place, ask this group to declare their nominee for a specific officer role. When using this procedure, make it clear that a person can be nominated for and elected to more than one office. applicant shall be declared rejected. Books Online] [E-Books] [Library Of 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. inviolably preserved. stream Past Masters of ____________ Lodge No. NOTE: This is only a suggested procedure. %`y`aSW2.9]!BBI The Senior Deacon presents the ballot for examination << /Type /Page /Parent 3 0 R /Resources 6 0 R /Contents 4 0 R /MediaBox [0 0 612 792] _____ cast their ballot?" hb```e``b`f``cg@ ~}"S-(1I)|p(0)P5oDurCAfG3f1,-- d$WZ3bVasYf`$exq> )Zg Collectively, these motions are known as motions related to nominations. 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 In Texas, per Art. 12 0 obj 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. 1. it to the Master who inspects the ballot box making sure that the 1. 3 0 obj Some practices to watch out for include: Ballot boxes being stuffed or written ballots being changed. Sometimes the committee is revived to make nominations to fill vacancies. A member can rise and decline the nomination during the nominating process. The "lex non scripta," or unwritten law of Freemasonry is derived from the traditions, usages and customs of . My Freemasonry | Freemason Information and Discussion Forum. ", SW: "Clear (dark) in the West, Worshipful. If a member notices a mistake in procedure, he or she should immediately make the chair and assembly aware of his concerns. Adam is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in Pennsylvania and is employed as a Senior Manager of International Tax in Latrobe, PA. Work on making your brothers become better friends. All business is done in a MM lodge. Blogs] [Links] 98% sure that it is. 11 0 obj Tradition holds that the Master of the lodge appoint a committee of three (usually Past Masters) to serve as a Tellers Committee. The mechanics of the election are governed by a few sections of the Minnesota Masonic Code and quite a bit of lodge tradition. 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. distribute the ballots for the first position to be voted upon. xU]o@|_cZR%q"b$*/}E(k nK6hb'_ D(|}5Dsq PBY%_'Dru.{,dW9PeOw9 d6!=#3r/iby+4C~9^-GT.d JavaScript is disabled. Blogs] [Links] [What is New] This method of nominations is based on the principle of allowing all voters to make nominations for all offices by completing a nominating ballot. Lodge elections are performed via a Masonic Ballot Box. 10 0 obj If a member votes for more choices than positions to be elected, the vote is considered illegal. or opinion Your members may wind up voting for Mr. Low as the compromise candidate. A poor meeting achieves the opposite results. Past Masters have a standing in Masonic Law; certain duties may be assigned to them. Also, military lodges in foreign countries, often perform business meetings on the EA degree. Lodge to vote, the Master should invite the tiler in and have a The Committee on Masonic Education and Information of . Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox! Talks] [Masonic As Masons, we hone our skills to apply their use, improving ourselves daily. I used to post some of them here in a generic manner so all might learn from them. ojx&^ 64>"> |&`mkG l[o;5``ek l[;5zk Vhp 5Pq_t.Z1lhp3M \H{Tl nF$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? 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. [Feedback]. 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. 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. hb```BVG ea8 P}+/m 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. A common mistake in elections is having too many ballots cast for the number of members present. 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. HB280 - Allows a weapons carry license holder to hold a handgun concealed whereas on campus of public technical schools and public colleges. 75-3 METHODS OF AFFILIATION. WM: "Brethren, you have heard read the The committee should meet, carefully review the membership list, and select the people who they think will do the best job in each office. 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. Sent from my LG-H811 using My Freemasonry Pro mobile app. (or for affiliation) which has received a unanimously favorable Some organizations add nominees to the ballot only if the name is submitted on a petition signed by some minimum number of members. ), 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. vote. 1 0 obj APPOINTMENT. 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 (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. My Freemasonry | Freemason Information and Discussion Forum. ", JW: "Fair (cloudy) in the South, Worshipful. Same in NM amd OR. majority of those voting being necessary for election, and the Worshipful time immemorial. This requires secretaries (and possibly grand secretaries if different jurisdictions) to get involved, but is a somewhat common occurrence. Only MMs vote. 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! salute with the Worshipful Master. The secretary repeats the vote after recording it, to ensure accuracy. Customarily (although it's not required), the chair accomplishes this by calling three times for more nominations. . In determining how long to hold the ballots before destroying them, your main consideration is the possibility of needing a recount. To lend a professional air to the proceedings, suggest that brothers wear a collared shirt and tie, especially the candidates. 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. 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. [Feedback]. 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. Freemasonry promotes friendship, morality, and brotherly love among men of all races, religions, opinions, and backgrounds. %%EOF For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Discover the world's largest and oldest fraternal organization with over 3 million members. In Kentucky, the individual is normally sent a certified letter. If a member leaves one part blank, the votes entered on the other questions still count. The presiding officer votes along with all the other members, although she is never allowed to cast a tie-breaker in a ballot vote. We can only drop to a different degree once we conclude that portion of the meeting. Fund raising is underway. TURNING YOUR BACK: Never turn one's back on the Master to address the lodge without first-receiving permission If a member votes for fewer choices than positions to be elected, the vote is legal and those votes count. Nominations are taken for successive offices in the order they're listed in the bylaws. The election of lodge officers is an annual event, specified in the lodge bylaws. The Master then casts his own vote. Magazines Online] The organization must have another election. appears the ballot shall be immediately retaken, and if a blackball The Senior Deacon closes the lid on the ballot. 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).. 14 0 obj You are using an out of date browser. Masonic Lodges, Masonic Organizations, and Youth Orders may conduct in-person meetings and events in compliance with county and city restrictions, if any. A ballot shall be taken for the three degrees ;D[{cv,#(145:n') Maine Masonic Charitable Foundation. If officers assume their duties immediately after the meeting is adjourned, it is then too late to question the election. 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. 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. It may not display this or other websites correctly. 292, elections may be held in a lodge opened in an EA as long as there is an EA attending. * Senior Deacon,", WM: "Prepare and present the ballot box.". The Worshipful Master orders the Wardens to take A Lodge supporting this vital outreach of the Foundation, will be properly noted. 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. <> The person who gets the most votes may not have a majority of the votes. 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. 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.