Dear editor,
The Courtenay Elks Lodge #60 is having a re-election of its executive board on Thursday, Oct. 13, in response to a complaint about the irregularities in the previous election. I thought it might be instructive for all the members to know the election rules so that they can run and/or vote for positions with full knowledge.
Nominations for each of the positions come from the serving executive board first. Then, there are calls for nominations from the floor—meaning, anyone who comes to the meeting on Thursday. Nominators have up to two minutes to give a speech on the nominee; and if more than one person is nominated for a position, the nominee also has up to two minutes to deliver a speech.
Therefore, I advise anyone wishing to run for a position to prepare a speech and to time its delivery, just in case there is the need for it.
The available positions are these: exalted leader, three knights—leading, loyal, lecturing, membership director, secretary and/or treasurer, esquire, chaplain, (7) publicity director, and inner guard.
The order of elections is to be in the order of seniority, starting with the highest position of exalted leader, then the three knights, then the lower positions.
This is important because a member cannot hold more than one of the exalted leader or knights positions. They can hold more than one position if it is a lower position, like a director or guard or secretary, but they cannot be both the exalted leader, say, and a loyal knight.
Therefore, the elections must be held in that order so that the person most desired as the exalted leader has the opportunity to run for that position before being given or voted into a knight’s position.
Besides being most fair and transparent, the Elks of Canada’s Constitution stipulates this rule in Regulation 1.1. For the full document, go tobit.ly/2dbHKke
The lodge will hold its regular meeting before the re-elections. It is important that members be there on time with their membership card to be allowed into the meeting. I urge all Lodge #60 members to ensure their dues are paid and to come out to the election—even consider running for a position. The meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 13, at the Elks Club at 231- Sixth St., Courtenay.
Judy Johnson
Comox