Section 4. Terms of trustees  


Latest version.
  • 1. The persons first elected trustees of such
      lodge, chapter, commandery, consistory, council, temple or  post,  if  a
      lodge  of  Free  and Accepted Masons, or a chapter of Royal Arch Masons,
      shall be divided by  lot  by  the  officer  making  the  certificate  of
      election,  so  that  the  term  of  one  shall  expire on the day of the
      festival of Saint John the Evangelist, next thereafter, and  another  in
      one  year,  and the third in two years thereafter. If other than a lodge
      or chapter of Free and Accepted Masons, the trustees first elected shall
      be divided by lot by the officers making the certificate of election, so
      that the term of one will expire in one year, one in two years, and  one
      in  three  years  thereafter.  One  trustee shall annually thereafter be
      elected by such lodge, chapter, commandery, consistory, council, temple,
      grotto, post, tribe, tent, nest, camp, encampment or canton,  or  Degree
      of  Pocahontas  council,  by  ballot, in the same manner and at the same
      time as the first three officers  thereof  severally  are  or  shall  be
      elected  according  to  its constitution, by-laws and regulations; and a
      certificate of such election under the hands of such  officers  and  the
      seal  of  the  lodge,  chapter, commandery, consistory, council, temple,
      grotto, post, tribe, tent, nest, camp, encampment or canton,  or  Degree
      of  Pocahontas  council,  if  it  has  any,  shall be made, and shall be
      evidence of such election and entitle the person so elected  to  act  as
      trustee. If any trustee dies, resigns, demits, is suspended or expelled,
      removes  from  the  state,  or  becomes incapacitated for performing the
      duties of his office, his office shall be  deemed  vacant.  Such  lodge,
      chapter,  commandery,  consistory, council, temple, grotto, post, tribe,
      tent, nest, camp, encampment or canton, or Degree of Pocahontas council,
      may, at any regular  communication,  convocation,  encampment  or  other
      regular  meeting, by whatever name known, fill any vacancy in the office
      of trustee, by ballot, which election shall be certified in like  manner
      and  with  like  effect as an annual election, and the person so elected
      shall hold his office during the unexpired term of  the  trustee,  whose
      place he was elected to fill.
        2.  In the event that any such lodge, chapter, commandery, consistory,
      council, temple, grotto, post, tribe, tent, nest,  camp,  encampment  or
      canton,  or  degree  of Pocahontas council shall, in accordance with the
      constitution and general rules  and  regulations  of  its  grand  lodge,
      chapter, commandery, council or other governing body to which it belongs
      or  with which it is connected, and in conformity to its own by-laws, if
      it has any, determines to increase the number of its trustees from three
      to five, the two additional trustees shall be first elected at the  same
      time  as  the  trustee  elected  to  succeed whichever of the previously
      elected trustees whose term first expires. At such election each of  the
      three  trustees elected shall, by lot, be assigned a term of one, two or
      three years, as the case  may  be.  Thereafter  all  trustees  shall  be
      elected for terms of three years.
        3.  In the event that any such lodge, chapter, commandery, consistory,
      council, temple, grotto, post, tribe, tent, nest,  camp,  encampment  or
      canton,  or  degree  of Pocahontas council shall, in accordance with the
      constitution and general rules  and  regulations  of  its  grand  lodge,
      chapter, commandery, council or other governing body to which it belongs
      or  with which it is connected, and in conformity to its own by-laws, if
      it has any, determines to increase the terms of its trustees from  three
      to five years, the trustees hereafter elected shall be elected for terms
      of five years each.
        4.  Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision one of this section,
      trustees of lodges of Free and Accepted  Masons  shall  be  elected  and
      their  terms  commence  at  the  first  stated  lodge communication next
      following the Grand Lodge Annual Communication.