Article VIII

ARTICLE VIII

NOMINATION OF CANDIDATES FOR

JUNIOR GRAND WARDEN

Section 1. Lodge Initiative. Any Subordinate Lodge in this jurisdiction at its own initiative, may submit a name of a probable nominee to the position of Junior Grand Warden (JGW) for consideration of the District Council where it belongs. When such initiative is taken by one or more Lodges in the District, the District Supervisor shall secure from the Election Board, official recommendation forms and a list of all requirements in order to comply with submission standards and the preliminary screening process as prescribed.

Section 2. Preliminary Screening (Preliminaries). Lodge initiatives shall be screened by the District Council. The screening shall consider the basic eligibility requirements and qualifications of the persons named, as written and/or attached to their submissions.

2.1 The District shall forward the accomplished official recommendation forms of probable nominees, together with all required attachments and documents to the Election Board for pre-qualification.

2.2 When a District is under a Masonic Region, preliminary screening shall be on a regional basis, where all District recommendations shall be consolidated and deliberated upon by the Regional Council for the purpose of further screening and selection. The Regional Council shall then submit its recommendations to the Election Board.

2.3 Lodges at large that do not yet constitute a District shall be allowed to participate in the Preliminaries of the Districts where they are attached.

2.4 A group of Lodges that has not yet met the requirements to constitute a full District, but has petitioned and has been approved to comprise a Provisional District shall be allowed to join the Preliminaries of another District assigned to them for such purpose, by the Grand Lodge Executive Committee (EXECOM).

Section 3. Number of recommendations. The EXECOM shall determine and announce the number of recommendations that a District or Region may submit before the start of the period set for the Preliminaries. Preliminaries shall be timed in conjunction with District/Regional Council meetings or when practicable, during their local conventions period.

Section 4. Pre–qualification of Recommendees. The Election Board upon receipt of the District/Region recommendations shall review the eligibility and qualifications of all the recommended nominees. Verification of eligibility and qualifications shall be based on the attachments and documents accompanying the recommendation forms and when necessary, records of the Subordinate Lodges, the District/ Regional Councils and the Grand Lodge. Recommendations not conforming to the prescribed form, are defective, inadequate and/or without the mandatory attachment, documentary and/or legal requirements shall be disqualified. False information, tampered or fake credentials and covert or overt acts to influence the pre-qualification process shall constitute grounds for administrative sanctions and/or filing of charges for un-Masonic conduct against the persons responsible.

4.1 The Election Board shall transmit the result of pre-qualification to the EXECOM for its approval, and proper announcement by the Grand Master.

4.2 A pre-qualified recomendee for nomination as candidate for the position of Junior Grand Warden shall formally acknowledge and indicate in writing whether he accepts or declines his recommendation.4.3 Only those who sent their letters of acceptance of their pre-qualification to the Election Board not later than fourteen (14 days) before the Annual General Assembly/Election shall be included in the final list for deliberation of the Panel of Peers.

Section 5. Peer Evaluation. The Election Board shall issue the official Peer Evaluation forms to the Panel of Peers only after its members are sworn-in and assigned their place of work. Peer Evaluators shall not be allowed to add, delete, disregard, modify or alter any portion or provision of the Peer Evaluation form or otherwise amend any portion or aspect of the performance/qualification criteria, the grading weights, or the manner of scoring and ranking. Evaluation shall be as objective as possible, in appreciation of all entries, information, statements, attachments and documents submitted by the recommendee.

Section 6. Council of Elders’ Final Evaluation and Nomination.The Council of Elders acting upon the recommendation of the Panel of Peers shall conduct final evaluation and nomination. Deliberation shall consider leadership and management potentials, personality, preparedness, vision, plans, working knowledge about the Fraternity, and other qualitative aspects not covered by the Peer Evaluators. The Council may use any means or method it deems practicable and effective within the confines of this Code and the IGLPI Constitution. The final nomination of the three (3) candidates for the position of Junior Grand Warden shall be forwarded to the Election Board for announcement.

Section 7. Acceptance of Final Nomination. A final nominee shall accept, either verbally or in writing his official nomination before the actual election. Failure to do so shall be interpreted as a tacit acceptance.Section 8. Sanctions for Sudden Withdrawal or Refusal of Office. A nominee who has accepted or has been deemed to have accepted his official nomination but withdrew under questionable or malicious circumstances before the balloting is to take place; or declined his position after being elected without justifiable reason shall be liable for sanctions and penalties allowed by law.