CHAPTER 57
Vacancies in Office of a Lodge
A vacancy in office in a
lodge occurs only as follows, [57-6].
1. By death, [59-2.19]
2. By
resignation, [11-10.4.A]
3. By election
and installation of the holder of such office to fill another office in the
lodge unless the newly elected officer declines to serve, [53-2.4;
56-1.1; 56-2; 57-6]
4. By expulsion,
by suspension, or by removal from office, [13-3.5; 58-1; 59-11.7; 59-12.22]
5. By ceasing to
be a member of the lodge,
6. By mental or
physical disability which disqualifies the officer from performing the duties
of his office, and [57-5; 57-5.2]
7. By the
permanent removal of any installed officer of the lodge from the state except
one who is in the armed forces of his country; provided, the Grand
Master declares a vacancy under Regulation 57-5 or 53-2.9. [57-6].
REG. 57-2
TREASURER OR SECRETARY.
A vacancy in the office of
Treasurer or Secretary may be filled by ballot at a stated communication for
the unexpired term without dispensation; or the vacancy may be filled by
appointment pro tempore, or for the unexpired term in which event the
officers shall be known as, and shall sign all documents as, Acting
Treasurer or Acting Secretary as the case may be. [45-12;
53-1.2.A; 56-2; ].
In case the offices of
Master and Wardens become vacant, the Secretary shall immediately notify the
Grand Master.
1. If there are
exceptional reasons for an election the Grand Master shall issue a dispensation
to hold an election to fill the vacancies at a stated communication designated
by him. If there are none, he should order the lodge to proceed under
Regulations 57-8 or 57-8.2 as the case may be. [13-3.8; 45-3.4; 45-12; 45-12.3; 53-2.4; 54-1.2; 57-1.3; 57-3; 57-6; Official Form 41].
2. If a Master
elect declines to be installed, or dies, or becomes disqualified before the
date for installation, the Wardens should be installed and then apply to the
Grand Master for a dispensation to hold an election for Master. [54-3.2;
57-6].
3. A vacancy in
an appointive office may be filled at any time by the officer authorized by law
to make appointment to such office, either pro tempore or for the
unexpired term.
Officers elected or
appointed to fill vacancies must be installed as soon as practicable
thereafter. A brother elected Master at a special election and duly installed
to fill the vacancy shall not thereby become a Past Master at the end of the
term for which he was elected unless he has served a full legal term. The
Master of each lodge shall have full authority to install such officers of his
lodge without a special dispensation. Installation of pro tempore or acting
officers is not required. [55-1; 59-2.19; 56-1.1; 56-3].
In case any installed
officer becomes physically or mentally disqualified to perform the duties of
his office or has permanently removed from the state, the Grand Master in his
discretion may declare a vacancy. [53-2.9].
1. If it is an
elective office he may order an election to fill the same or he may order the
lodge to proceed by pro tempore appointment until its next annual
communication. [45-3.4; 57-1.7].
2. In case any
appointive officer becomes physically or mentally disqualified to perform the
duties of his office or has permanently removed from the jurisdiction of the
lodge, the Master of the lodge with the approval of the Grand Master may
declare a vacancy and appoint a successor. [53-2.9; 56-2].
3. Resignation of
an installed appointive officer of a lodge may for good reason be required, but
not without the consent of the Grand Master and if the vacancy is filled for
the unexpired term, the new officer shall be installed. [56-2; 57-2].
REG. 57-6
SPECIAL ELECTION FOR MASTER.
At a special election to
fill a vacancy in the office of Master, a presently installed Warden shall not
be eligible to be elected to such office unless he shall have served as Warden
at least one full term. An installed officer shall not be eligible during his
term for any other office in the lodge unless after being elected he resigns. [53-2.2;
53-2.3; 53-2.4; 56-1; 56-1.1; 56-2; 57-1.3].
REG. 57-7
MASTER PENDING INSTALLATION.
A newly installed Senior
Warden shall not be entitled to preside as Master pending the installation of a
Master-elect who was not installed with the other officers. The retiring
Master, if present, shall preside and continue in office until his successor is
installed.
In case of a vacancy in the
office of Master, the Senior Warden succeeds to the East in the sense that he
succeeds to the powers, privileges, prerogatives, and responsibilities of the
Master as Acting Master; but he is still Senior Warden. While he presides in
the East, he fills the West by pro tempore appointment and may properly
be addressed as Worshipful Master. At the expiration of his term he shall not
be a Past Master. [11-10.4.A; 45-12; 53-2.4; 59-9.7].
1. The authority
of an Acting Master ceases when the lodge is closed, the Master being within
its jurisdiction. [45-12].
2. If the offices
of both Master and Senior Warden become vacant, the Junior Warden succeeds to
the East as Acting Master, but he is still Junior Warden, and he fills the West
and South by pro tempore appointments.
A. At
the expiration of his term he shall not be a Past Master.
B. Subordinate
officers retain their respective stations and places and do not automatically
move up. [45-12.3; 53-2.4; 56-1].
If an elective or
appointive officer of a lodge having been duly installed is present and willing
to perform the duties of his office, the Master should not make a pro
tempore appointment to his office. If at the opening of a lodge the Master
appoints a brother pro tempore to fill the chair of an officer who is
absent but who subsequently enters the lodge, the regular officer shall take
his proper station or place and be so recorded.