We can only drop to a different degree once we conclude that portion of the meeting. Polls closing or opening at times different than the times posted. $.' If not, Brother endobj However, we open the Lodge on the 3rd then call to refreshment, invite everyome in, after the ceremony the WM closes without form. The only way you can vote against a candidate is to vote for another person. That means run-offs are just plain out of order. endstream endobj startxref Masonic Lodges, Masonic Organizations, and Youth Orders may conduct in-person meetings and events in compliance with county and city restrictions, if any. <> Freemasonry (or Brother __________for affiliation)." Your members may wind up voting for Mr. Low as the compromise candidate. accept?" Ballot counters should cast their ballots at the same time that the assembly votes. PDF CONFORMING TO MASONIC ETIQUETTE - Grand Lodge of Iowa Each officer and member, before voting, must exchange the Robert's Rules for Conducting Elections - dummies The above procedure is repeated for each position or 3. 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. If officers assume their duties immediately after the meeting is adjourned, it is then too late to question the election. . Chapter 63 covers general voting and Chapter 68 covers the secret ballot. again appears the petitioner shall be declared rejected, but he may at 12 0 obj Doing this may allow an unpopular or hand-picked candidate to get the office even though he or she was not elected. Robert's Rules on elections are very straightforward after what is often a politically charged prequel of nominating and campaigning. A Lodge member who has held the highest office in the Lodge has for life a Masonic position of his own. The Closely Guarded Secrets of the Masonic Lodge - Freemasons Community <> If your bylaws don't require you to conduct an election by ballot, and if candidates are unopposed or there's no major contest for an office, you can save time with a simple voice vote (or viva voce). Lodge Officers Manual - Masonic Grand Lodge of Maine Masonic etiquette decries anyone who does not obey the gavel. << /Length 12 0 R /Type /XObject /Subtype /Image /Width 610 /Height 521 /ColorSpace endstream ____ for the ensuing Masonic year. Each incoming class of three shall consist of the incoming Junior Warden of the lodge (which has its own bylaws), and. 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 election process may be the easiest part of deciding who handles a particular job in the organization. His term expires July, 2014.". When called on to give the report, the chairman of the nominating committee states the nominations for each office. JavaScript is disabled. The Necessity of Lodge Audits | Freemason Information It varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Customarily (although it's not required), the chair accomplishes this by calling three times for more nominations. The Committee on Masonic Education and Information of . JFIF C endstream endobj 37 0 obj <>stream Depending on the Grand Lodge, this can be anywhere from 18 to 25. If the lodge is not able to contact the individual after a reasonable period of time, the non-paying Mason is dropped (suspended). If your assembly's members are accountable to a constituency, your rules may require you to conduct your elections by roll-call 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. 4 0 obj We can only drop to a different degree once we conclude that portion of the meeting. 2 0 obj <>>> Dues & Don'ts of Getting Into a Masonic Lodge | Freemason Network Only MMs vote. 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. Lodge Website Criteria | Grand Lodge of Georgia, F. & A.M. 11 0 obj NOTE: This is only a suggested procedure. 16 0 obj 9 0 obj Marshal takes up his place at the West Gate and the Junior Deacon Masonic Lodge Officer Duties and Responsibilities to the Junior Warden, then the Senior Warden and then the Worshipful All eyes are upon the Master. Non-Payment of dues | My Freemasonry | Freemason Information and hb```e``b`f``cg@ ~}"S-(1I)|p(0)P5oDurCAfG3f1,-- d$WZ3bVasYf`$exq> )Zg In a voice vote, the winner is easy to determine and the vote is over when someone wins the election. The mechanics of the election are governed by a few sections of the Minnesota Masonic Code and quite a bit of lodge tradition. At the end of each successful vote the ballots These Masonic rituals represent three degrees which are taken in sequence. Conducting Local Union Officer Elections | U.S. Department of Labor in Season 1, episode 2 of Lodge 49 on AMC, our hero Dud (Wyatt Russel) tells Blaise (David Pasquesi) "You'd have more people if the membership fee wasn't so high.". 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. <> This site is not an official site of any recognized Masonic body in the United ballot drawer is empty and that there are both white balls and black %PDF-1.3 position north of the altar. Here is how: You must first find a Masonic lodge location near you, contact them, and ask for a petition to join. By signing a petition for the formation of a new lodge, [ Chapter 39] 2. The Master then casts his own vote. Your group's rules and customs determine when floor nominations are accepted. Pause. 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. Cell phones, chewing gum, crinkly snack wrappers and other distractions should be disallowed during a fraternity election (except during breaks). For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. If members adjourn before an election is complete, they should set the time for an adjourned meeting to finish the election. In most places, the answer is likely no. {V++6o <>`ulr<>[lLDdTVVQ4Mt{<1iz;E This example is based on moving to have nominations by committee, but the form is essentially the same for any of the methods. Here are things you can do to improve your fraternity while not being on a lodge officer: Strengthen the brotherhood - The foundation of brotherhood is the strength of the friendships between the brothers. 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. 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 Some Lodges have their bills paid automatically each month electronically, such as for utilities and telephones for example. mistake.". You take nominations from the floor for one office, and when no further nominations are forthcoming, you proceed to the balloting for that office. If the bylaws specifically address this situation, members should follow the bylaws. endobj That job belongs to the presiding officer, who reads the report again to the members, concluding with a formal declaration of the result. The Politics of Freemasonry | Freemason Information As Masons, we hone our skills to apply their use, improving ourselves daily. ", WM: "How in the West, Brother Senior Warden? Freemasonry | Definition, History, Stages, Lodges, & Facts 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. The Senior Deacon then takes up a Lodge Trustees and Charity Foundation become available for you and published in the members only area of our web site so that you know how Grand Lodge and its organizations are spending your money and conducting their business. )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_? 292, elections may be held in a lodge opened in an EA as long as there is an EA attending. [What is New] 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. endobj The Trustees of the Charitable Foundation have authorized the "build out" of the Grand Lodge Library into the space formerly the drive through banking area. of altar. << /Im1 11 0 R >> >> If a member votes for fewer choices than positions to be elected, the vote is legal and those votes count. Join us as we strive to make good men better by teaching universal values through the use of geometry and architecture metaphors. 75-3 METHODS OF AFFILIATION. Brethren, I declare that you have election of Trustees to Board - General Discussion - The Official RONR