Here in the Jurisdiction of Washington, our Ritual, specifically our Charges, point out the duty of Freemasons to be exemplary citizens. I’ve always found the text of the Charges a bit oddly worded given the actions of our nation’s Masonic Founding Fathers, but one must assume that the specific text was decided upon so that government would not come to fear our Institution.
However it may be, we are called to be exemplary citizens.
Given that, and given that this is a major election week in the United States, I wonder:
Is it a Freemason’s Masonic duty to vote in our civil elections?
That Masonry takes voting very seriously is without a doubt, given that (in Washington, I assume elsewhere as well) when we vote on petitions for the Degrees, every single Master Mason who is present is required to vote. We don’t get to take a pass.
So again, is it our duty, as Masons, to vote in civil elections?
If it is, is it also our duty to become informed voters prior to doing so?
I think that these questions have direct bearing on us as Freemasons, given the nature of the Charges contained within our ritual, so I hope that we can chat about it today.
I believe it's the duty of citizens to vote, having said that, but if a citizen doesn't properly vet each and every issues and candidate before voting then don't vote on the issues or candidate not vetted it might do more harm than good. Guard our constitution.
In Australia we vote in lodge, by two methods a simple (up and down vote) or if you like (for or against), when voting to accept reports and pass accounts for payment. We also vote for the Master-Elect.
We vote by secret ballot on petitions to join or affiliate the lodge, this is done by way of white or black ball.
Unless I know the person or have enough information, I abstain from voting.
Politically, in Australia it's compulsory to vote, so you don't get a choice but from what I understand from American election process, this is not the case.
Freedom is what your country thrives on, and I believe that it also extends to a freedom to decide whether to vote or not,
If you don't vote, you can't complain on the way you're governed.
I believe it is our duty as Freemasons to be informed regarding the candidates and issues and vote (the entire ballot). One benefit of Washington State’s vote by mail system is the ability to take the time to research with the ballot in our possession and then mark, sign and mail the ballot before the deadline.
Nov 7, 2022·edited Nov 7, 2022Liked by Cameron M. Bailey
I would like to read about the voting opportunities for a common man in 1717 Great Britain. Our Craft's operative roots in the Masonry trade no doubt had rules proposed and debated, but as for leadership positions I'm unclear. About a hundred years later, the Webb Ritual charges that, "In the State, you are to be a quiet and peaceful subject, true to your government, and just to your country; you are not to countenance disloyalty or rebellion, but patiently submit to legal authority, and conform with cheerfulness to the government of the country in which you live." The adaptation of our rituals to modern civil changes/innovations might be an interesting case-study on how to address future issues.
“So again, is it our duty, as Masons, to vote in civil elections?” Absolutely. We are citizens of this country. Voting is one of the key components of our engagement with our government.
“If it is, is it also our duty to become informed voters prior to doing so?” Yes, and I’ll go you one further. Once the official is elected, don’t put these items on a back-burner. Stay engaged. Pay attention to what your representative is doing. What bills they are creating, how they are voting on bills, etc. Yes, I know, it takes a lot of time to stay engaged, and I had one politically active Mason tell me that once we elect a Representative, Senator, etc. that we should just have faith that they’re going to do what we want them to do. I was surprised to hear him say that. I didn’t know that a Legislator could read minds. They’re going to vote according to the information provided to them. Stay engaged. The time many of us spend ranting and raving on Facebook about current issues would be time more constructive explaining your stance on an issue to your elected official. In a civil manner, of course. It’s amazing how much difference you can make.
I find it hard to tell the character of a person from the small amount of information on the ballot. And I certainly will not vote for anyone who mails me an ad bashing their opponent. So I'm not left with any good options in most cases. So I usually end up not voting because I can't in good conscience vote for any of them. I would hope that if any brother were to run for any office that we would get a heads up and then I'd be most likely voting for that brother if I know him to be a good mason. The party does not matter to me, the character of the person is the most important.
It is the duty of every citizen to vote in his or her country. As masons we are supposed to help the community to become better, and voting is part of that. Respecting the law and the constitutions of our country (federal and state) includes doing our best to make sure those things aren't subverted.
This means that by extension, we should know and understand those documents. Most citizens can't even tell you what the bill of rights are.
And I agree, the changes made to our rituals and charges telling us to be subservient to the government had to have been added after the Morgan Affair and the anti-freemason movement.
Our good Brother Winston Churchill had this to say about voting:
“At the bottom of all the tributes paid to democracy is the little man, walking into a little booth, with a little pencil, making a little cross on a little bit of paper – no amount of rhetoric or voluminous discussion can possibly palliate the overwhelming importance of that point.”
I’ll vote, if for no other reason than to make sure I remember how to do it when the next election rolls around. Maybe that one will cheer me up.
We're to be exemplary citizens of just regimes, which explains how the founding fathers get a pass, in essence. Trickier than even the founding fathers is the position of Masons like Albert Pike, fighting on the side of the Confederate states.
The trick has always been in what one considers a "just regime". There, best I can tell Freemasonry has nothing to say other than a general set of principles that each applies for himself. It is not my intent to get into a debate about whether the Confederate states "counts", just to point out that there are obvious differences here.
So then, let's take that lens and apply it to the question, is it a duty to vote in civil elections? If, in your judgment, we are presently in a just regime, then I'd argue yes. Our challenge it that not all present will agree that the precondition is met.
What an interesting and contradictory puzzle. In the face of all of that, we are to agree on common principles, and promote harmony in our own fraternity. That right there is a fascinating set of contradictions (to me).
I believe it's the duty of citizens to vote, having said that, but if a citizen doesn't properly vet each and every issues and candidate before voting then don't vote on the issues or candidate not vetted it might do more harm than good. Guard our constitution.
In Australia we vote in lodge, by two methods a simple (up and down vote) or if you like (for or against), when voting to accept reports and pass accounts for payment. We also vote for the Master-Elect.
We vote by secret ballot on petitions to join or affiliate the lodge, this is done by way of white or black ball.
Unless I know the person or have enough information, I abstain from voting.
Politically, in Australia it's compulsory to vote, so you don't get a choice but from what I understand from American election process, this is not the case.
Freedom is what your country thrives on, and I believe that it also extends to a freedom to decide whether to vote or not,
If you don't vote, you can't complain on the way you're governed.
I believe it is our duty as Freemasons to be informed regarding the candidates and issues and vote (the entire ballot). One benefit of Washington State’s vote by mail system is the ability to take the time to research with the ballot in our possession and then mark, sign and mail the ballot before the deadline.
I would like to read about the voting opportunities for a common man in 1717 Great Britain. Our Craft's operative roots in the Masonry trade no doubt had rules proposed and debated, but as for leadership positions I'm unclear. About a hundred years later, the Webb Ritual charges that, "In the State, you are to be a quiet and peaceful subject, true to your government, and just to your country; you are not to countenance disloyalty or rebellion, but patiently submit to legal authority, and conform with cheerfulness to the government of the country in which you live." The adaptation of our rituals to modern civil changes/innovations might be an interesting case-study on how to address future issues.
“So again, is it our duty, as Masons, to vote in civil elections?” Absolutely. We are citizens of this country. Voting is one of the key components of our engagement with our government.
“If it is, is it also our duty to become informed voters prior to doing so?” Yes, and I’ll go you one further. Once the official is elected, don’t put these items on a back-burner. Stay engaged. Pay attention to what your representative is doing. What bills they are creating, how they are voting on bills, etc. Yes, I know, it takes a lot of time to stay engaged, and I had one politically active Mason tell me that once we elect a Representative, Senator, etc. that we should just have faith that they’re going to do what we want them to do. I was surprised to hear him say that. I didn’t know that a Legislator could read minds. They’re going to vote according to the information provided to them. Stay engaged. The time many of us spend ranting and raving on Facebook about current issues would be time more constructive explaining your stance on an issue to your elected official. In a civil manner, of course. It’s amazing how much difference you can make.
I find it hard to tell the character of a person from the small amount of information on the ballot. And I certainly will not vote for anyone who mails me an ad bashing their opponent. So I'm not left with any good options in most cases. So I usually end up not voting because I can't in good conscience vote for any of them. I would hope that if any brother were to run for any office that we would get a heads up and then I'd be most likely voting for that brother if I know him to be a good mason. The party does not matter to me, the character of the person is the most important.
It is the duty of every citizen to vote in his or her country. As masons we are supposed to help the community to become better, and voting is part of that. Respecting the law and the constitutions of our country (federal and state) includes doing our best to make sure those things aren't subverted.
This means that by extension, we should know and understand those documents. Most citizens can't even tell you what the bill of rights are.
And I agree, the changes made to our rituals and charges telling us to be subservient to the government had to have been added after the Morgan Affair and the anti-freemason movement.
Our good Brother Winston Churchill had this to say about voting:
“At the bottom of all the tributes paid to democracy is the little man, walking into a little booth, with a little pencil, making a little cross on a little bit of paper – no amount of rhetoric or voluminous discussion can possibly palliate the overwhelming importance of that point.”
I’ll vote, if for no other reason than to make sure I remember how to do it when the next election rolls around. Maybe that one will cheer me up.
We're to be exemplary citizens of just regimes, which explains how the founding fathers get a pass, in essence. Trickier than even the founding fathers is the position of Masons like Albert Pike, fighting on the side of the Confederate states.
The trick has always been in what one considers a "just regime". There, best I can tell Freemasonry has nothing to say other than a general set of principles that each applies for himself. It is not my intent to get into a debate about whether the Confederate states "counts", just to point out that there are obvious differences here.
So then, let's take that lens and apply it to the question, is it a duty to vote in civil elections? If, in your judgment, we are presently in a just regime, then I'd argue yes. Our challenge it that not all present will agree that the precondition is met.
What an interesting and contradictory puzzle. In the face of all of that, we are to agree on common principles, and promote harmony in our own fraternity. That right there is a fascinating set of contradictions (to me).