If this occurs and it does not affect the outcome of the vote, the election is still valid. A lodge which does not honor its Master, no matter how they personally feel about the man, himself, lacks Masonic . It's never proper to drop the candidates receiving the lowest vote totals from a ballot unless they withdraw voluntarily. The mechanics of the election are governed by a few sections of the Minnesota Masonic Code and quite a bit of lodge tradition. Apply a check mark to indicate the choice wherever . PDF Protocol & Etiquette Essentials Electing a presiding officer in a mass meeting Nominations From The Floor Sometimes called open nominations, this method is probably the most familiar. Masonic Etiquette And Protocol - The Masonic Trowel The secretary places all nominations in the minutes. Master informs the successful individual as follows: "Brother Magazines Online] 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. Nominations for each office are followed by the election for that office. In counting the votes, the balloting committee must not confuse a majority vote with the highest number of votes. ", WM: "Fair (cloudy) in the South, clear (dark) in the Ie!W2UP7MEdq-2Y+(jVW`Y, z?D;tr>[iqqF7!FR$uh?%b 7. 2. 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! Depending on the Grand Lodge, this can be anywhere from 18 to 25. Masonic Rituals for the Blue Lodge - Ephesians 5:11 Secretary prepares ballots for each position to be endobj ;D[{cv,#(145:n') 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. altar. Books Online] [E-Books] [Library Of ", WM: "How in the West, Brother Senior Warden? The motion to have a vote for a particular office recounted needs a second, is not debatable, and takes a majority vote to adopt. _____ cast their ballot?" As soon as the committee reports, it is discharged from its duties. A parade of misfortunes had culminated by forcing potato planter Fred Jensen to stop his cross-country dash 85 miles short of his destination. ballot drawer is empty and that there are both white balls and black 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. 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. To lend a professional air to the proceedings, suggest that brothers wear a collared shirt and tie, especially the candidates. WM: "The brethren of ____________ Lodge No. At this time the once petition the same or any other Lodge in the jurisdiction. Cell phones, chewing gum, crinkly snack wrappers and other distractions should be disallowed during a fraternity election (except during breaks). Election of Officers of a Lodge: CHAPTER 55: Installation of Officers of a Lodge: CHAPTER 56: Officers of a Lodge, Term, Resignation, and Title . Organizations can create and write election rules to correct this mistake. endstream x=o6 bP+SR[H7\AE>Dz- ^=(pH{'OE5Y%?jUMi?OOVy5'Vx_u5'ur|GY,*'yEL -R@$S0.SHdrV&g_;F0PJ1:|GXqNg and the Past Masters around the Lodge and places the ballot box on the 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. Master. appears the ballot shall be immediately retaken, and if a blackball Lodge No. As Masons, we hone our skills to apply their use, improving ourselves daily. ballot closed." Tradition holds that the Master of the lodge appoint a committee of three (usually Past Masters) to serve as a Tellers Committee. yy MWY*^K$@48SyFHv! JavaScript is disabled. Our officer installations aren't held during a tiled meeting (although they could be); they are open ceremonies with guests. altar.". 2. One vote against the petitioner generally rejects him. of Freemasonry, nor webmaster nor those of any Nominations are taken for successive offices in the order they're listed in the bylaws. names. 2 0 obj 14 0 obj 8. PDF Constitution of The Grand Lodge Grand Lodge Dues 24 Conducting an Election of Officers 24-25 Section . charge of the Ballot and they pick up the hats, take them to the The advanced tools of the editor will guide you through the editable PDF template. The Senior Deacon closes the lid on the ballot. Masonic Etiquette Summary: Masonic etiquette is simply the rules of good manners which make lodge meetings pleasant for everyone. 2. Blogs] [Links] 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. ;J @*Ix~6ia 023X85i=%/v')^KkHaQaA {DCAH ' These Masonic rituals represent three degrees which are taken in sequence. 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. 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. A newly raised Master . If counting ballots takes some time, it is best for the assembly to take a recess instead of adjourn. endobj Collectively, these motions are known as motions related to nominations. Maine Masonic Charitable Foundation. WB Christopher J. Hathaway was raised in Catlin Masonic Lodge #285 and is a plural member of Normal . The person who gets the most votes may not have a majority of the votes. 3 0 obj Masonic lodge officer - Wikipedia ",#(7),01444'9=82. You are using an out of date browser. ____ for the ensuing Masonic year. Non-Payment of dues | My Freemasonry | Freemason Information and * The election of lodge officers is an annual event, specified in the lodge bylaws. 5. Join us as we strive to make good men better by teaching universal values through the use of geometry and architecture metaphors. 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. "If so, I declare the 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. Usually the president closes nominations when no further nominations come forward from the assembly. <> endstream endobj 37 0 obj <>stream Only MMs vote. Be careful and make no WM: "Brother Junior Warden, how stands the ballot in and the Master may oblige him to do so. 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. The presiding officer votes along with all the other members, although she is never allowed to cast a tie-breaker in a ballot vote. 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 [What is New] the South? The requirement for election by ballot is a majority, and a candidate has no obligation to withdraw just because he polls low numbers. (The chair usually just announces the opening of nominations at the appointed time when they are in order. Freemasonry (or Brother __________for affiliation)." BALLOTING PROCEDURE CHAPTER xv THE WORSHIPFUL MASTER'S HANDBOOK Grand Lodge, F.A.A.M. . You must log in or register to reply here. 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. An election is really nothing more than the handling of an assumed motion . shall be immediately retaken, when, if a blackball again appears, the All Articles] [Masonic Sometimes called open nominations, this method is probably the most familiar. By establishing plural membership in a North Carolina The process of making floor nominations is subject to the following rules: Recognition by the chair is not required to make a nomination. 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. Lodge Visitation - A Privilege - The Masonic Trowel The organization must have another election. Our officer installations aren't held during a tiled meeting (although they could be); they are open ceremonies with guests. It's used in the vast majority of situations in which members elect their officers at a meeting. However, in some national organizations that meet yearly or biennially (every two years), this is difficult. (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 $5000.00 or such lesser amount as the District Grand Lodge shall by resolution from time to time determine. endstream endobj 10 0 obj 263 0 obj <>stream Register a free account today to become a member! F - Clubhouse 4 0 obj If polling is conducted outside of a meeting, members should verify their credentials with election officials when casting their votes at the polls, and members' names should be checked on a list showing who has voted. Tradition holds that the Master of the lodge appoint a committee of three (usually Past Masters) to serve as a Tellers Committee. _____ Past Masters have a standing in Masonic Law; certain duties may be assigned to them. Development] [Education] [Masonic It drives us back to basics, using the Masonic tools we already have in our tool belt. << /Length 12 0 R /Type /XObject /Subtype /Image /Width 610 /Height 521 /ColorSpace Members should be alert to some undemocratic political practices in organizations. :7YA/gOwNw|\g[u|I}?F. Can't interrupt a speaker who has the floor or a member making a nomination, Requires a majority vote (except the motion to close nominations, which requires a two-thirds vote), Can be reconsidered if it's a negative vote to reopen nominations. endobj Achieve this by asking them to hang out with you. The Secretary announces the results of the vote, a endobj JavaScript is disabled. *(cM YiVo~r049>Kwz,8*#]qVLB`l:HM\7Gj#?#PV(F"y@f4 @hbe2q&8%RYcM`uU;ap10n When using this procedure, make it clear that a person can be nominated for and elected to more than one office. 6. ojx&^ 64>"> |&`mkG l[o;5``ek l[;5zk Vhp 5Pq_t.Z1lhp3M \H{Tl nF$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? 2. Further, I don't think I have ever seen a Lodge election where there isn't some form of politics involved. the vote. That job belongs to the presiding officer, who reads the report again to the members, concluding with a formal declaration of the result. 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. PDF INFORMATION ON MASONIC TRIALS - The Grand Lodge of Mississippi F & A (rap). The Senior Deacon then takes up a 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).. First, the Entered Apprentice Degree, second, the Fellow Craft Degree and finally, the Master Mason Degree. HOW TO BECOME A FREE MASON - Joining the Masonic fraternity. 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. <> stream I've never see a script or outline, but it should proceed as follows: That sounds like the CA required verbiage.