ARTICLE III
ELECTIONS

SECTION 1. ORDER OF SUCCESSION -For the purpose of electing a President of the Maryland, Delaware and District of Columbia Elks Association the following Districts are established:

District I - Grand Lodge West District
District II - Grand Lodge South-West District
District III - Grand Lodge South-East District
District IV - Grand Lodge North-Central District
District V - Grand Lodge North-East District

The succession shall be in order listed and shall thereafter follow this rotation with the President being from the South-West District in 1983-84. In the event of any newly created, or change in the Grand Lodge Districts, the foregoing order of succession shall be amended and/or supplemented accordingly. Any District shall have the right to decline their turn.

SECTION 2. The election of the President-Elect of the Association shall be at the Annual April Meeting of the Association. When entitled by District to be elected in accordance with the order of succession, nominations shall be made only when endorsed by the members’ Lodge in regular session, a resolution signed by the Exalted Ruler and Secretary of that Lodge and filed with the Association Secretary at least thirty (30) days prior to the election. No lodge shall endorse or propose more than one candidate for any given office.
(a) Although the order of succession provides that the nominees shall be selected only from that District, all Delegates of the State Association shall be entitled to vote for the President-Elect at the state-wide elections. The President-Elect will then become President, following the order of succession set forth in Article III, Section 1.
(b) If more than three (3) names are placed in nomination for the office of President-Elect, then the Vice-President of that District shall call a caucus of the Delegates of the District to determine the three (3) candidates receiving the most votes whose names will be placed in nomination for that office at the April Meeting of the Association (12/98)

SECTION 3. The Vice President or Past State President designated by the President shall conduct a meeting in each District, during the month of April, for the purpose of electing a Vice President, a Trustee and a Camp Barrett Executive Committee member to represent that District. (6/99) The officer conducting the meeting shall notify each member Lodge of that District of the time and place that the meeting will be held. Said notice shall be made no later than two weeks prior to the meeting. Upon the completion of said election, the officer conducting the meeting shall notify the Secretary of the Association of the name, address, of elected.

SECTION 4. All officers except Sergeant-at-Arms, Inner-Guard, Chaplain, Tiler, Treasurer and Secretary shall be elected or ratified at the Annual Convention Meeting of the Association and shall hold office for one year, which will be the fiscal year of the Association or until their successors are duly elected and installed. An election for Treasurer and Secretary shall be held at the April Meeting of the Association. All elected Trustees shall hold office for two years. The Sergeant-at-Arms, Inner Guard, Chaplain and Tiler shall be appointed by the President. (1/95)

SECTION 5. VACANCY IN OFFICE, HOW FILLED - In the event of any vacancy except the office of President, Secretary or Treasurer, the President shall order an election, in accordance with these By-Laws, to fill the vacancy. If another vacancy is caused by the election of any elective officer to fill such a vacancy, it shall be filled at the same session, and nominations shall be made and the election held at the same session.
(6/99)
(a) Should the vacancy be that of President, Secretary or Treasurer of the Association the Advisory Committee shall appoint a successor from the same district in which it occurs, who shall serve until the next State election. The District requirement shall not apply to the Secretary or Treasurer. (6/99)
(b) In the event an officer is incapacitated or negligent in his/her duties, and non-performance is proven, it shall be the duty of the Advisory Committee to bring such notice to the attention of the Association and to take such action as may be deemed necessary. (6/99)

SECTION 6. OFFICER QUALIFICATIONS - Any candidate for any office in this Association, except Treasurer or Chaplain, shall have completed a term as an Exalted Ruler of a member Lodge of this Association. Any candidate must have met these qualifications by the date of the Annual Convention Meeting.

ARTICLE IV >