The Code has two primary chapters that describe the process of voting in subordinate lodges. WB Christopher J. Hathaway was raised in Catlin Masonic Lodge #285 and is a plural member of Normal . The election (or rejection) of a candidate in a Masonic lodge is a secret ballot, and with few exceptions, must be completely unanimous. _____ cast their ballot?" _____ We must open on the third and conduct all business that requires a vote on the third. Often the extra ballot comes from someone who has entered the assembly but has not signed in to the meeting. Two top hats are placed on the kneeling pad at foot of altar. 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. We can conduct lodge business in the EA degree in Minnesota, but only Master Masons can vote. 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. When the secretary prepares the eligibility list for the meeting, only those members who are willing to serve are on the list. <> Your organization needs officers, maybe committee members, and other positions decided by a vote of the membership. 1. Nominations are now open from the floor. Each incoming class of three shall consist of the incoming Junior Warden of the lodge (which has its own bylaws), and. <> )GT?=Sk8&o9sU|$gv}~3H'>}3DReeZCZ2HN7.WadE-lUG|1pU]d. Masonic Lodge Election Procedure HB89 - Tightens the time frames for issuance of firearms licenses by probate judges. A poor meeting achieves the opposite results. The committee should meet, carefully review the membership list, and select the people who they think will do the best job in each office. 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 Tradition holds that the Master of the lodge appoint a committee of three (usually Past Masters) to serve as a Tellers Committee. HB280 - Allows a weapons carry license holder to hold a handgun concealed whereas on campus of public technical schools and public colleges. <> If a member leaves one part blank, the votes entered on the other questions still count. 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 Texas, per Art. 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. election of officers in April each year. If a minority of the committee wishes to nominate someone else, the members in the minority can make the nomination when nominations are taken from the floor. 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. Adam is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in Pennsylvania and is employed as a Senior Manager of International Tax in Latrobe, PA. The election process may be the easiest part of deciding who handles a particular job in the organization. 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! After the person elected to office assumes the position, it is too late to nullify an illegal election. 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. However, calling nominations from your seat is often impractical, so you may want to adopt a more formal nomination process. All eyes are upon the Master. Persons serving on the committee can be nominated for office. 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 Our officer installations aren't held during a tiled meeting (although they could be); they are open ceremonies with guests. 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. hbbd``b`n@` ! 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. It's used in the vast majority of situations in which members elect their officers at a meeting. % Sent from my LG-H811 using My Freemasonry Pro mobile app. In the vote for the position of Worshipful Master A ballot shall be taken for the three degrees This site is not an official site of any recognized Masonic body in the United 127. "30*5gDcJuk.w^m=12Ua&0cE'|H%KV L%|c]c0l;v=[, Cj+M 38xHDL\. Talks] [Masonic WM: "Have all of the brethren of _______________ endobj NOTE: This is only a suggested procedure. - "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 . elected (rejected) Mister ___________ for the degrees of The minutes may say, for example, "Eric Olson was elected to the board for two years. Chapter 63 covers general voting and Chapter 68 covers the secret ballot. If something doesn't quite add up, a member should question it during the meeting. Only MMs vote. Jump to content The Official RONR Q & A Forums % Note: Prior to opening elections, the WM will go over prerequisites, eligibility, exceptions, nominations, limitations and procedures in accordance with Lodge By Laws and the ACGL Code, sections 2.21 through 2.29. By establishing plural membership in a North Carolina 7. A lodge which does not honor its Master, no matter how they personally feel about the man, himself, lacks Masonic . If the motion is adopted, the assembly can adjourn before the vote is announced if it has another meeting scheduled. The ballots are tallied very much like an election ballot, and the report becomes the list of nominees for each office. %PDF-1.5 endobj At the Worshipful Masters order the Wardens to Join a brotherhood of over 2,000,000 men of all ages, from all races, religions, and countries, and from all walks of life. If the lodge is not able to contact the individual after a reasonable period of time, the non-paying Mason is dropped (suspended). f;-^*//%^je)R%^eKuZJQ\LU/Zgy:FDt8KF:US1OG+T/5i]\V5qhw`6mjzS"m].#{T^]q p;43[9[C nF^y' 64 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 However, we open the Lodge on the 3rd then call to refreshment, invite everyome in, after the ceremony the WM closes without form. Enter your official identification and contact details. hb```BVG ea8 P}+/m 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. Fund raising is underway. <> The organization must have another election. 75-3 METHODS OF AFFILIATION. Same in NM amd OR. To help with the Masonic experience at Lodge meetings, you were allowed to open on any degree, and use the Chamber 263 0 obj <>stream (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. endstream endobj startxref Development] [Education] [Masonic A member has the right to vote until the polls are closed. If you become a Free Mason, you will: Join both the oldest and the largest fraternity in the world. It is important to remember that once someone is elected, the election can't be rescinded unless there is some provision for it in the bylaws. 13 0 obj All business is done in a MM lodge. Whatever nomination method you propose, be specific. (The chair usually just announces the opening of nominations at the appointed time when they are in order. <>>> For every expense, large or small, the Secretary is to write a voucher which is to be countersigned by the Worshipful Master and passed on to the Treasurer for payment. If your assembly's members are accountable to a constituency, your rules may require you to conduct your elections by roll-call vote. It is for informational purposes only and does not necessarily reflect the views Be careful and make no If lodge functions go smoothly, it is the Master who takes the credit. *.MXPY!~@Aa%^ N&4D1la`:v@Ai,^t #. Freemasonry's Requirements for Membership. The following shall be the methods of affiliation: 1. I've never see a script or outline, but it should proceed as follows: That sounds like the CA required verbiage. 12 0 obj JavaScript is disabled. Books Online] [E-Books] [Library Of Election of Officers of a Lodge: CHAPTER 55: Installation of Officers of a Lodge: CHAPTER 56: Officers of a Lodge, Term, Resignation, and Title . Development] [Education] [Masonic Join us as we strive to make good men better by teaching universal values through the use of geometry and architecture metaphors. a portion or all of the petition(s) reread? Organizations can create and write election rules to correct this mistake. This requires secretaries (and possibly grand secretaries if different jurisdictions) to get involved, but is a somewhat common occurrence. 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. endobj For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. The appointive officers of the Grand Lodge, save the Deputy Grand Secretary, shall be The process of making floor nominations is subject to the following rules: Recognition by the chair is not required to make a nomination. 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. Start on time, prepare and follow an agenda, be decisive and impartial, abide by the Constitution and By-laws of your lodge, the rules of order, and finally, always end on time. 1 0 obj This site is not an official site of any recognized Masonic body in the United Remember brethren, a Or, members can also finish the election at the next regular meeting if the meeting falls within a quarterly time period. 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. Some organizations add nominees to the ballot only if the name is submitted on a petition signed by some minimum number of members. 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. Booth Lodge 100-100C, be amended . By transfer of membership, maintaining continuous membership, and 4. collect the ballots, the Deacons approach the altar, pick up the hats, endobj 4. altar.". endobj In balloting on a petition for affiliation, if one blackball Masonry doesn't care about your worldly wealth or social position. endobj but their new year lodge elections and officer installations have been delayed due to their inability to meet. Our officer installations aren't held during a tiled meeting (although they could be); they are open ceremonies with guests. The Master then casts his own vote. All Articles] [Masonic *(cM YiVo~r049>Kwz,8*#]qVLB`l:HM\7Gj#?#PV(F"y@f4 @hbe2q&8%RYcM`uU;ap10n The above procedure is repeated for each position or 3. If members adjourn before an election is complete, they should set the time for an adjourned meeting to finish the election. When called on to give the report, the chairman of the nominating committee states the nominations for each office. may use different methods of electing officers. <> 1 0 obj If officers assume their duties immediately after the meeting is adjourned, it is then too late to question the election. Masonic Etiquette Summary: Masonic etiquette is simply the rules of good manners which make lodge meetings pleasant for everyone. 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. The Authorities for Masonic Law. If an elected candidate declines the office after he or she is elected and after the meeting has adjourned, another election needs to take place, if at all possible. 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. When the nominations stop, the chair just declares nominations closed after making sure that no more nominations are forthcoming. This example is based on moving to have nominations by committee, but the form is essentially the same for any of the methods. accept?" 4. 11 0 obj ^. qQ^&FJ J } %`y`aSW2.9]!BBI Like any incidental main motion, an election can be decided by voice vote or by ballot. At this time the %PDF-1.3 )Cv`3!VOYe%K]'d4'kH&]x*"W.L+P|WUyl>TlUTZZh=7wE%4 DoH+5%Y+*:*2*&^Ol\Td4G]:^[DdVXQn*mNI#]Vv?v:]W6x H|z=|-!q1 oF?$Ul(V1C:[jhDe4nsl65gpr'fKuo2a0$T$W.6 ` 5SR_? A Lodge member who has held the highest office in the Lodge has for life a Masonic position of his own. Illegal votes are, Two or more marked ballots folded together (together they count as only one illegal vote). States or elsewhere. A website endorsed by a Lodge will be considered the official Lodge website, and will be subject to these criteria and rules. As each nomination is received (assuming multiple candidates), ask each nominee "If elected, are you willing to serve?" will advance to the altar and cast their ballot. 3 0 obj salute with the Worshipful Master. stream 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. 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. <> Lodge No. x=o6 bP+SR[H7\AE>Dz- ^=(pH{'OE5Y%?jUMi?OOVy5'Vx_u5'ur|GY,*'yEL -R@$S0.SHdrV&g_;F0PJ1:|GXqNg By signing a petition for the formation of a new lodge, [ Chapter 39] 2. /Rotate 0 >> Jewels of Masonic Secretary The Secretary's official duties include issuing the summons (a formal notice of an impending meeting, with time, date and agenda), recording meeting minutes, completing statistical returns to the Grand Lodge, and advising the Worshipful Master on matters of procedure. Your group's rules and customs determine when floor nominations are accepted. hb```e``b`f``cg@ ~}"S-(1I)|p(0)P5oDurCAfG3f1,-- d$WZ3bVasYf`$exq> )Zg Depending on the Grand Lodge, this can be anywhere from 18 to 25. Here is how: You must first find a Masonic lodge location near you, contact them, and ask for a petition to join. I /8ZzeL%kxF~/a&MBkd/cK"zBARqG(/%:}4Q;l@)R^M,s;p Rx P~DV(GR,&Gj;v}yh/5F3ibD,eZJ position north of the altar. A late-arriving member can vote only with other members' consent by majority vote. distribute the ballots for the first position to be voted upon.