Can balloting be done in an emergency meeting?
According to the Constitution, balloting for a candidate for initiation must occur at a regular meeting, except in cases of urgency as outlined in Rule 136. In such cases, if the Master determines that the urgency is real and that hardship upon the candidate would be serious, the ballot may be taken at an emergency meeting. However, the particulars of the candidate must be submitted to the Secretary of the Lodge at least fourteen days prior to the emergency meeting, and the cause of urgency must be stated in the summons for that meeting.
Specifically, Rule 136 states: "If in the opinion of the Master the urgency be real, and that hardship upon the candidate would be serious, he shall require the candidate and his proposer and seconder respectively to furnish the appropriate particulars to the Secretary of the Lodge... not less than fourteen days previously to the regular or emergency meeting of the Lodge at which the proposal is to be submitted and the ballot taken."