WM: "Have all of the brethren of _______________ hbbd``b`$+@9`~ $U@ AL Abo;I0 V!$B 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. j]Ic[faPhgcP0U0.!boS/]9[[3+:;:+:Q1DX. 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. Our officer installations aren't held during a tiled meeting (although they could be); they are open ceremonies with guests. 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. 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).. or opinion The Senior Deacon obtains the ballot box and presents 6 Y~0 0@ 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. A late-arriving member can vote only with other members' consent by majority vote. 587 The requirement for election by ballot is a majority, and a candidate has no obligation to withdraw just because he polls low numbers. 705 South Hercules Avenue. It may not display this or other websites correctly. 8. A member can rise and decline the nomination during the nominating process. One vote against the petitioner generally rejects him. 1. other regular Masonic body other than those stated. 2. (The chair usually just announces the opening of nominations at the appointed time when they are in order. A motion to open nominations, when made by a member, is usually a motion to reopen nominations after they have been closed. A ballot shall be taken for the three degrees Masonic Lodges, Masonic Organizations, and Youth Orders may conduct in-person meetings and events in compliance with county and city restrictions, if any. Does any brother wish to have An officer election form is a document used by groups, clubs, and organizations to elect leaders and fill vacant positions. Mail or absentee ballots not arriving on time or mysteriously disappearing when the time comes to count them. The Senior Deacon presents the ballot for examination 6. In determining how long to hold the ballots before destroying them, your main consideration is the possibility of needing a recount. This method requires more time for the election process, making it probably best limited to smaller groups. Some practices to watch out for include: Ballot boxes being stuffed or written ballots being changed. some brother of the Lodge other than the Secretary should tally and Since it is the obligation of every brother of the 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. My Freemasonry | Freemason Information and Discussion Forum. %`y`aSW2.9]!BBI Master. At the Worshipful Masters order the Wardens to At the Worshipful Masters order the Stewards . Brother Secretary conduct a roll call. 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 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. {V++6o <>`ulr<>[lLDdTVVQ4Mt{<1iz;E ____________ Lodge No. The Masonic Oath is hugely significant, as it is represents a Masons' integrity and is an example of their strong bond to all other brothers within the fraternity. 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 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. 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! places. 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. The bylaws of a charitable trust affiliated with a masonic lodge provide that its 9-member board consists of three "classes"of three, each class serving rotating three-year terms. 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. In Europe, it takes often a year, to advance per degree. An election is really nothing more than the handling of an assumed motion . Be careful and make no distinctive apron has been designated by the Grand Lodge is present at a Masonic meeting or communication, he may wear the apron so designated. In Kentucky, the individual is normally sent a certified letter. The Guide is designed to be an easy-to-use reference based on the law and regulations as well as the knowledge and experience of OLMS staff. The Senior Deacon presents the ballot to each officer When called on to give the report, the chairman of the nominating committee states the nominations for each office. Your members may wind up voting for Mr. Low as the compromise candidate. Blogs] [Links] These elections are to vote on new top lodge officers in the blue lodge. If a member leaves one part blank, the votes entered on the other questions still count. collect the ballots and place the hats with the ballots at the The organization must have another election. << /ProcSet [ /PDF /Text /ImageB /ImageC /ImageI ] /ColorSpace << /Cs1 7 0 R 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. Jump to content The Official RONR Q & A Forums 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. 11 0 obj <> BALLOTING PROCEDURE CHAPTER xv THE WORSHIPFUL MASTER'S HANDBOOK Grand Lodge, F.A.A.M. stream You must log in or register to reply here. 7. f;-^*//%^je)R%^eKuZJQ\LU/Zgy:FDt8KF:US1OG+T/5i]\V5qhw`6mjzS"m].#{T^]q p;43[9[C nF^y' 64 'xzwQ38/4b|T}R-g|7uhw 4!"icE)S7AEo In this case, the members must vote again until one candidate receives a majority vote. the Lodge over all Masons, affiliated and unaffiliated, that live and reside within the territory from which the Lodge may receive petitions for the Degrees; and, (b) personal jurisdiction, which means the power of the Lodge over its own members wherever they may reside and ceases only when the Brother ceases to be a member of the Lodge. TURNING YOUR BACK: Never turn one's back on the Master to address the lodge without first-receiving permission JavaScript is disabled. However only Masters can vote. 127. If officers assume their duties immediately after the meeting is adjourned, it is then too late to question the election. 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. That job belongs to the presiding officer, who reads the report again to the members, concluding with a formal declaration of the result. If you become a Free Mason, you will: Join both the oldest and the largest fraternity in the world. Members should be alert to some undemocratic political practices in organizations. Only MMs vote. 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. Masonic Etiquette Summary: Masonic etiquette is simply the rules of good manners which make lodge meetings pleasant for everyone. The Committee on Masonic Education and Information of . Maine Masonic Charitable Foundation. If not, the members can vote again during that meeting for another candidate. REG. 0 Same in NM amd OR. The position of Worshipful Master in the East occupies the most exalted position within the lodge. You must log in or register to reply here. time immemorial. 3. announce the results of the vote. 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. Procedure for Contempt: CHAPTER 101: Restoration after Suspension or Expulsion: CHAPTER 102: 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. Work on making your brothers become better friends. The motion to have a vote for a particular office recounted needs a second, is not debatable, and takes a majority vote to adopt. 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. 0 HB280 - Allows a weapons carry license holder to hold a handgun concealed whereas on campus of public technical schools and public colleges. a portion or all of the petition(s) reread? 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 been rejected by a Lodge shall again be proposed within six months after <> If you have a nominating committee in place, ask this group to declare their nominee for a specific officer role. :7YA/gOwNw|\g[u|I}?F. Secretary prepares ballots for each position to be elected. The secretary places all nominations in the minutes. In most cases, the threshold is a majority of the votes cast. If the ballot vote decides an election, you're instructed to write the name of the nominee of your choice on your ballot. 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. endobj 3 0 obj Nominations are taken for successive offices in the order they're listed in the bylaws. endobj 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. 234 0 obj <> endobj Election of Officers of a Lodge: CHAPTER 55: Installation of Officers of a Lodge: CHAPTER 56: Officers of a Lodge, Term, Resignation, and Title . At the end of each successful vote the ballots Is it permissible to hold election of officers in an EA lodge? Taking nominations by mail is basically the same as taking nominations by ballot. 15 0 obj Robert's Rules on elections are very straightforward after what is often a politically charged prequel of nominating and campaigning. The Lodge web page must not link to or be linked to by any website where a conflict . We can only drop to a different degree once we conclude that portion of the meeting. 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. (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. collectively, and in the case of one blackball appearing therein it elected (rejected) Mister ___________ for the degrees of The assembly then votes again on the other office. %PDF-1.5 In a voice vote, the winner is easy to determine and the vote is over when someone wins the election. AUTHORITY. Yes, every year Masonic Lodges do have elections. 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. Enter your official identification and contact details. The balloting committee can still count the ballots. ", SW: "Clear (dark) in the West, Worshipful. of Freemasonry, nor webmaster nor those of any and the Past Masters around the Lodge and places the ballot box on the It may not display this or other websites correctly. It will take you step by step through the election process, help you to identify your responsibilities during each step, and provide suggestions to make your job easier. For the qualifications of candidates in order to join a Masonic Lodge in Texas there are a series of "Freemason requirements". 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. 292, elections may be held in a lodge opened in an EA as long as there is an EA attending. Remember brethren, a 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. 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. <> The appointive officers of the Grand Lodge, save the Deputy Grand Secretary, shall be Voting machines having wedges inserted to prevent the lever from going down all the way. In Texas, per Art. Books Online] [E-Books] [Library Of 2 0 obj endobj This saves time and allows for polling at a time and place other than a meeting. Here are some other things to consider during the election process: A quorum needs to be present throughout the election meeting. After each nomination, the president repeats the name to the assembly. may use different methods of electing officers. It's used in the vast majority of situations in which members elect their officers at a meeting. When the nominations stop, the chair just declares nominations closed after making sure that no more nominations are forthcoming. Introduction. Westside Toastmasters is located in Los Angeles and Santa Monica, California. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. As Masons, we hone our skills to apply their use, improving ourselves daily. A common mistake in elections is having too many ballots cast for the number of members present. * 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. If members adjourn before an election is complete, they should set the time for an adjourned meeting to finish the election. vote. We must open on the third and conduct all business that requires a vote on the third. 3. I've never see a script or outline, but it should proceed as follows: That sounds like the CA required verbiage. 1. A lodge which does not honor its Master, no matter how they personally feel about the man, himself, lacks Masonic . Ballot counters should cast their ballots at the same time that the assembly votes. 10. should be destroyed. JFIF C <>/ExtGState<>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 612 792] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> And whenever you want to specify when nominations can be made, you use a motion to open or close nominations. If someone is not willing to serve, the committee needs to meet again and find another candidate. F powered by Dr. Stefanus Hadi, Ph.D. visit www.FLIVE.com email: club@flive.com follow Clubhouse: @stefanus send SMS Text to +1 213-749-8777 Los Angeles, California 13 0 obj 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. However, in some national organizations that meet yearly or biennially (every two years), this is difficult. I used to post some of them here in a generic manner so all might learn from them. altar. WM: "Brethren, you have heard read the However, we open the Lodge on the 3rd then call to refreshment, invite everyome in, after the ceremony the WM closes without form. Nominations for each office are followed by the election for that office. <> ^. programs and procedures of the Grand Lodge of Ohio, a Masonic District and their Lodge. [Articles] [Masonic Secretarys table and put the ballots into one of the hats. Balloting must continue until a candidate receives a majority. endobj endstream endobj 37 0 obj <>stream 10 0 obj All eyes are upon the Master. However, we open the Lodge on the 3rd then call to refreshment, invite everyome in, after the ceremony the WM closes without form. 14 0 R /BitsPerComponent 8 /Filter /FlateDecode >>