Persons serving on the committee can be nominated for office. $.' Also, members rarely move to close nominations because, whenever no further nominations are offered, the chair usually just declares, "Hearing no further nominations, nominations for the office of [name the office] are closed.". When called on to give the report, the chairman of the nominating committee states the nominations for each office. Sometimes nominations aren't taken until the election is pending, and sometimes they're taken at other times, such as at a meeting before the election meeting. If you had to move before you finished receiving the three degrees of the blue lodge, you'd need lodge B to perform courtesy work. By-Laws | District Grand Lodge of Jamaica & the Cayman Islands hb```e``b`f``cg@ ~}"S-(1I)|p(0)P5oDurCAfG3f1,-- d$WZ3bVasYf`$exq> )Zg will advance to the altar and cast their ballot. Polls closing or opening at times different than the times posted. If a marked ballot is folded together with a blank ballot, the marked ballot counts as one legal vote, and the blank ballot is considered scrap paper. Grand Lodge Committee on Masonic Education: CHAPTER 31: Lodge Service Commission: CHAPTER 32: . The above procedure is repeated for each position or These elections happen in the end of the year to elect the following years leadership team. 1. [What is New] <> Collectively, these motions are known as motions related to nominations. When it comes to ballot elections, your election isn't complete until a position is filled, and a position is never filled until a candidate receives the threshold number of votes required for election. )GT?=Sk8&o9sU|$gv}~3H'>}3DReeZCZ2HN7.WadE-lUG|1pU]d. Usually the president closes nominations when no further nominations come forward from the assembly. WB Christopher J. Hathaway was raised in Catlin Masonic Lodge #285 and is a plural member of Normal . 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. Tradition holds that the Master of the lodge appoint a committee of three (usually Past Masters) to serve as a Tellers Committee. Fund raising is underway. << /Length 12 0 R /Type /XObject /Subtype /Image /Width 610 /Height 521 /ColorSpace 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. Conducting an Election of Officers p. 25 Section III. It may not display this or other websites correctly. /Rotate 0 >> Welcome | Grand Lodge of NC Further, I don't think I have ever seen a Lodge election where there isn't some form of politics involved. JavaScript is disabled. 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. 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. HWG l!$"' g]9=3>3U}Zo.wjyiQo?\>,:lFYE#q IBZ.rwi/A%f_N'_LDX Business meetings are held on the EA degree in European lodge. The brother responds. In the vote for Secretary, unless he is retiring, 6. All Articles] [Masonic 3 0 obj 1. If not, Brother The Requirements to Join a Freemason Lodge - dummies TURNING YOUR BACK: Never turn one's back on the Master to address the lodge without first-receiving permission hbbd``b`n@` ! << /ProcSet [ /PDF /Text /ImageB /ImageC /ImageI ] /ColorSpace << /Cs1 7 0 R Work on making your brothers become better friends. My Freemasonry | Freemason Information and Discussion Forum. Welcome | Grand Lodge of NC <> Masonic Lodges, Masonic Organizations, and Youth Orders may conduct in-person meetings and events in compliance with county and city restrictions, if any. endobj of altar. WM: "You will present the ballot to the officers and 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. 3. the vote. A properly planned and executed meeting results in good participation. 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. If a member votes for more choices than positions to be elected, the vote is considered illegal. [ 11 0 R] If your assembly's members are accountable to a constituency, your rules may require you to conduct your elections by roll-call vote. 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. 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. PDF The Grand Lodge of An officer election form is a document used by groups, clubs, and organizations to elect leaders and fill vacant positions. Taking nominations by mail is basically the same as taking nominations by ballot. endstream endobj 37 0 obj <>stream 15 0 obj These could lead The Constitution is clear on the proper procedure ballot drawer is empty and that there are both white balls and black Sometimes the committee is revived to make nominations to fill vacancies. 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. Master informs the successful individual as follows: "Brother ), 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. Lodge No. A member can rise and decline the nomination during the nominating process. and the Master may oblige him to do so. You take nominations from the floor for one office, and when no further nominations are forthcoming, you proceed to the balloting for that office. 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. 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 secretary repeats the vote after recording it, to ensure accuracy. If something doesn't quite add up, a member should question it during the meeting. * 9. On the Approaching Election to the Masonic Chairs The presiding officer can continue presiding, even if he or she is one of the nominees for the office. 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. Organizations can create and write election rules to correct this mistake. <> << /Type /Page /Parent 3 0 R /Resources 6 0 R /Contents 4 0 R /MediaBox [0 0 612 792] Premier Grand Lodge of England - Wikipedia After the period during which a recount can be conducted has passed, you don't need to keep the ballots. PDF 2015 01 30 Installation of Officers of Local Lodges The balloting committee can still count the ballots. Your group's rules and customs determine when floor nominations are accepted. other regular Masonic body other than those stated. This requires secretaries (and possibly grand secretaries if different jurisdictions) to get involved, but is a somewhat common occurrence. 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. election of officers in April each year. States or elsewhere. The Anti-Masonic Party in the United States : 1826-1843 - Google Books If members adjourn before an election is complete, they should set the time for an adjourned meeting to finish the election. PDF Lodge Election Procedures1 - ACGL Interestingly, some years ago, Virginia implemented a dues amnesty program. A late-arriving member can vote only with other members' consent by majority vote. A website endorsed by a Lodge will be considered the official Lodge website, and will be subject to these criteria and rules. 75-3 METHODS OF AFFILIATION. to the Junior Warden, then the Senior Warden and then the Worshipful (The chair usually just announces the opening of nominations at the appointed time when they are in order. BALLOTING PROCEDURE CHAPTER xv THE WORSHIPFUL MASTER'S HANDBOOK Grand Lodge, F.A.A.M. 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. 4. Decision Making For Dummies. The Worshipful Master orders the Wardens to take JFIF C Grand Master's Decisions on Masonic-Sponsored Meetings and Events Any blue lodge that does not hold annual election of officers is considered irregular by most Grand Lodges. Adam is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in Pennsylvania and is employed as a Senior Manager of International Tax in Latrobe, PA. the South? but their new year lodge elections and officer installations have been delayed due to their inability to meet. <> For this reason, members should listen carefully to the report of the ballot counters' committee. ",#(7),01444'9=82. 1. accept?" Robert's Rules of Order, Nominations And Elections - Westside Toastmasters The duty of a nominating committee is to find the best candidate for each office. Secretary prepares ballots for each position to be Some Lodges have their bills paid automatically each month electronically, such as for utilities and telephones for example. In counting the votes, the balloting committee must not confuse a majority vote with the highest number of votes. Election Master/Judge parliamentary procedure - My Freemasonry Freemasonry (or Brother __________for affiliation)." When holding ballot elections, you have two procedural options: Nominations for all offices conclude before any balloting begins. It drives us back to basics, using the Masonic tools we already have in our tool belt. You are using an out of date browser. 6. endstream endobj startxref Like any incidental main motion, an election can be decided by voice vote or by ballot. At the Worshipful Masters order the Wardens to Chapter XVII - Suggested Procedure For Electing Lodge Officers NOTE: This is only a suggested procedure. PDF The Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Ohio - Freemason I /8ZzeL%kxF~/a&MBkd/cK"zBARqG(/%:}4Q;l@)R^M,s;p Rx P~DV(GR,&Gj;v}yh/5F3ibD,eZJ 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. As each nomination is received (assuming multiple candidates), ask each nominee "If elected, are you willing to serve?" Yes, every year Masonic Lodges do have elections. 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. Officer Election Form Template | Jotform At the Worshipful Master s order the Stewards distribute the ballots for the first position to be voted upon. inviolably preserved. Brethren, I declare that you have 8 0 obj Register a free account today to become a member! 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 Freemasonry | Definition, History, Stages, Lodges, & Facts A Lodge member who has held the highest office in the Lodge has for life a Masonic position of his own. Booth Lodge 100-100C, be amended . 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 I guess that would depend on the jurisdiction. Suggested Procedure For Electing Lodge Officers. Robert's Rules on elections are very straightforward after what is often a politically charged prequel of nominating and campaigning. 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. Members should be alert to some undemocratic political practices in organizations. A person can nominate himself or herself. The secretary places all nominations in the minutes. Masonic Lodge Officer Duties Sent from my LG-H811 using My Freemasonry Pro mobile app. 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. 3 ways to keep your Masonic Lodge from closing its doors If not, the members can vote again during that meeting for another candidate. The advanced tools of the editor will guide you through the editable PDF template. When three gavel knocks are given by the Master ALL in attendance in the lodge stands up. 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. (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. You must log in or register to reply here. stream of Freemasonry, nor webmaster nor those of any That job belongs to the presiding officer, who reads the report again to the members, concluding with a formal declaration of the result. 66 0 obj <>stream programs and procedures of the Grand Lodge of Ohio, a Masonic District and their Lodge. Westside Toastmasters is located in Los Angeles and Santa Monica, California. If you have only two candidates and the vote is a tie, you repeat the balloting until one candidate receives a majority. 127. ballot closed." The only way you can vote against a candidate is to vote for another person. 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. <> However, it disadvantages candidates who lose an election for a position decided earlier and then can't serve a different position. Discover the world's largest and oldest fraternal organization with over 3 million members. << /Length 5 0 R /Filter /FlateDecode >> PDF The NJ Freemason Spring 2019 - Grand Lodge of New Jersey endobj 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. 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. How to Join a Freemason Lodge - dummies Grand Lodge Officers - Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania If the motion is adopted, the assembly can adjourn before the vote is announced if it has another meeting scheduled. Development] [Education] [Masonic Depending on the Grand Lodge, this can be anywhere from 18 to 25. 14 0 R /BitsPerComponent 8 /Filter /FlateDecode >> 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 Principles of Masonic Law/Chapter XX - Wikisource Master. Nominations don't have to be seconded, but it's not out of order for members to second a nomination to signal their endorsement. * (rap once). hmo@W}w*JGEa]/p o?_%au/$"p@ZPI 6AKFQt$8g!AHG[v;~&Wwu~|1xX21`9-Yd]%dsXQNxm -$we/mc5qrq:a/}4Y#A6,UX"{,S(JCs4l>nl,~nn%M&bt_zFPVJ_**#lU6uZe]Y[;M 6tvM{7W/225[n_SOmGP_4U_rH1v %m" &"`hh&q'I%D-rI$\\OScmalRCiPh_Th 7AN.RR9ou|r:9>NpT~XI|{&]MJ )FvJlC{hDRDT "DJc+^zrPl c[