Article VIII

Article VIII
Election and Appointment

Section 1. General Provisions. Elections of elective officers of the Grand Lodge and all its Subordinate Lodges shall be conducted in consonance with the “injunction or rather emulation of who best can work and best agree”. The Grand Lodge shall ensure that it is conducted with the highest standards of integrity, harmony and efficiency, devoid of politicking, electioneering, influence peddling and extravagance. To this end, the Grand Lodge shall provide necessary administrative instruments, and legislative measures that shall include sanctions against violations and similar improper acts.

Section 2. Schedule of Grand Election. The Grand Lodge shall hold its annual election on the second day of its Annual Grand Assembly.

Section 3. Elective Officers and Manner of Election. The elective Grand Lodge Officers namely, the Grand Master, the Deputy Grand Master, the Senior and the Junior Grand Wardens, the Grand Treasurer, the Grand Secretary and the Grand Auditor shall be elected through secret balloting by majority vote of incumbent elected officers of the Subordinate Lodges, Immediate Past Masters, elected Grand Lodge Officers, Regional Grand Deputies, and District Grand Supervisors present and duly registered in the Annual Grand Assembly.

Section 4. Installation of Officers. The elected Grand Officers, and those appointed by the Grand Master-elect, shall be installed before the conclusion of the Annual Grand Assembly.

Section 5. Terms of Office and Vacancies. The term of office of elected and appointed Grand Officers shall be for one (1) year. They shall hold office until their successors have been elected or appointed and installed unless their terms are shortened due to justifiable reasons. The following rule on succession shall be observed for any vacancy that may occur, in any of the elective or appointive positions:

5.1 In the event of vacancy occurring in the positions of Grand Master, Deputy Grand Master and Senior Grand Warden, the next in line shall serve the unexpired term without prejudice to his nomination to the same position in the succeeding election.

5.2 In the event of a vacancy occurring for the position of Junior Grand Warden, the Grand Master shall appoint a replacement Pro-Tempore from the Council of Elders who shall serve the unexpired term in a concurrent capacity. The Junior Grand Warden Pro-Tempore shall notbe included in the line of succession and shall not be eligible for nomination to any elective position in the Grand Lodge in the succeeding election.

5.3 For elective positions other than the Deputy Grand Master and the Grand Wardens, any vacancy shall be filled by the Grand Master upon consultation with the Council of Elders to serve the unexpired term without prejudice to his nomination to the same office in the succeeding annual election.5.4 For vacancies occurring in any appointive Grand Officer positions, the Grand Master shall appoint a replacement who shall serve the unexpired term.

Section 6. Qualifications and Eligibility of Elective and Appointive Grand Officers. The qualifications and eligibility of elective and appointive officers as provided under the Election and Appointments Code, shall be strictly adhered to.

Section 7. The Election Board and Election Related Bodies. The Grand Lodge shall organize an Election Board and other election related bodies for the purpose of preparing, conducting and safeguarding its electoral process.

7.1 The Election Board shall have a chairman and two members, serving a fixed tenure not exceeding three years (3) provided that the first appointee shall serve for one (1) year, the second for two (2) years and last appointee for three (3) years. The Election Board shall determine eligibility and qualification of all recommendees for nomination to the position of Junior Grand Warden; to prepare and administer election laws; and, to perform any function relative thereto as may be provided by law. It shall be authorized to create a Panel of Peers, Electoral Tribunal and Committees, whether permanent or ad-hoc, to assist them in their functions.

7.2 The Election Board shall create a Panel of Peers which shall be an Ad Hoc body of non-voting Past Masters from accredited Subordinate Lodges created in situ by drawing lots during the election proper and tasked with the evaluation of recommendees to the position of Junior Grand Warden passed by the Election Board. Its recommendations shall be submitted to the Council of Elders, through the Election Board, for final evaluation.

7.3 The Election Board shall create an ad-hoc Electoral Tribunal, composed of five (5) incumbent or past Grand Officers, which shall investigate, hear, and decide all formal election-related charges. Its decision shall be final and immediately executory, without prejudice to the filing of appropriate charges with the Judicial Council for unmasonic conduct and/or violation of the Constitution, statutes, by-laws, and other pertinent laws and regulations.

Section 8. Nominations for Elective Positions. The elected and installed Deputy Grand Master, the Senior and Junior Grand Wardens shall be considered nominated for the next higher position unless they become ineligible. The incumbent Grand Treasurer, Grand Auditor and the Grand Secretary shall be automatically nominated for the same positions, subject to confirmation by the Council of Elders, without prejudice to their consideration of other nominees.

Section 9. Nominations for the Election of the Junior Grand Warden. For the purpose of selecting nominees for the election of the Junior Grand Warden, there shall be stages and processes for recommendation, preliminary-qualification, peer evaluation and nomination. Recommendations for nomination of Junior Grand Warden shall be at the initiative of Lodges under this jurisdiction, subject to preliminary screening and selection of the region, district or other grouping where these Lodges may belong, before submission to the Election Board.

Section 10. Final Nomination for Junior Grand Warden. Final nomination for the position of Junior Grand Warden shall be made by the Council of Elders.

Section 11. Election and Appointments Code. The Grand Lodge shall formulate an Election and Appointments CodeSection 12. Voting and Lodge Representation. Voting, qualification of voters, Lodge accreditation and representation shall be governed by the Election and Appointments Code.