Re: Grand Lodge Participation

Tom Accuosti wrote:
Jack Wise wrote:

This is a question that has been touched on before, but was never a
main subject: Who has voting rights in your Grand Lodge?


In Conn, the WM and the Wardens (or their proxies) can vote.
The WM will generally hold a lodge discussion, to see how the lodge as a whole feels. They all have the freedom to vote as they wish, however.

Past GMs are "permanent" members and can vote.
Current DDs and Past DDs (Called DDGM in other states) are "permanent" members and can vote.
Current wearers of the purple can vote (District Lecturers and Associate Grand Marshals)
Chairs of certain GL committees can vote.
Members of certain GL committees can vote.


In Texas, all of the above would be PM's of their respective lodges. (by Texas Law, one must be a PM in order to be a member of GL and elgible for Grand Lodge office. All PM's are members of Grand Lodge.


The Grand Lodge of Texas permits each Past Master of a Texas Lodge to
have one vote on any issue. Each Lodge has 3 votes cast by the Master
of the Lodge (or Senior Warden/Junior Warden/Elected Proxy in the
absense of a more senior officer).

The Master has the final say on the Lodge vote, but is supposed to
confer with his officers before casting the lodge's votes.

The rational seems to be that this arrangement provides a balance and
that Grand Lodge is responsive to the needs of Freemasonry in this
jurisdiction.


I don't see the balance in this arrangement. PMs can hang on for a long, long time, and if a bunch of them decide that they don't want some particular piece of legislation, then they can virtually keep it from happening for a generation.

Perhaps that is the balance. Passions can run wild over some particular issue. Current lodge officers can be in favor of the latest proposal, while older more experienced brethren can cause the idea to be more carefully evaluated.
--
Jack Wise

PM, Jacques DeMolay Lodge No. 1390, AF & AM, Houston, TX
( www.jd1390.org/jdmlodge.htm )

Member: Oak Wood Lodge No. 1444, AF & AM, The Woodlands, TX


TEXAS red wine: renowned for its smoky-mesquite-bbq & jalapeno
overtones, the perfect foil for a meal of tacos and refried beans...

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Business on Any Degree
    ... But here, as the elected Administrator - Chairman, if you will - it is ... Smart Lodge members would move to permamently allow the Master ... Should any EA or FC attempt to vote on any matter, ...
    (soc.org.freemasonry)
  • Re: Heroes
    ... and no one in that lodge will reject the candidate for the wrong ... then how come there are Hindu brothers but the Baghavat Gita ... It is not a question what we think, or of what Grand Lodge might ... California GL gives 4 votes per lodge plus a vote for every current ...
    (soc.org.freemasonry)
  • Re: Grand Lodge Illinois Annual Communication
    ... for the proposal to allow Masters to decide what degree to conduct ... held over for a vote next year (different percentages needed to ... it was also to interfere with Navhoo Lodge. ... give votes to PMs and to how many PMs. ...
    (soc.org.freemasonry)
  • Re: Democratic or autocratic?
    ... I was not in line to vote on a new candidate as I knew nothing about ... all MM's under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Texas ...
    (soc.org.freemasonry)
  • Re: PM Votes
    ... MM has a vote or ballot. ... Conceptually a Grand Lodge is 3 or ... where each member Lodge has one or several votes. ... It sounds as if Texas has done something that other GL's I'm ...
    (soc.org.freemasonry)