The members then use a ballot box, with the back drawer first being displayed to the members to be empty, then the members drop their vote one at a time into the hole in the back, typically a white glass marble to accept or a black lead cube to reject. There is also a background interview conducted by the Membership Committee, who make the final recommendation to the Lodge members. The current requirements include belief in God, American citizenship, willingness to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, willingness to salute the flag of the United States of America, willingness to support the laws and Constitution of the United States of America, being of good character and being at least 21 years of age. Faced with losing their liquor licenses if they did not admit women, the Elks Lodges of Utah voted to become unisex in June 1993, which was followed by a vote at the Elks National Convention in July 1995 to remove the word "male" from the national membership requirements.
#ELK LODGE HISTORY LICENSE#
George-Dixie Lodge 1743 (1993), the Utah Supreme Court ruled that while freedom of association allowed the Elks to remain a men-only organization, "the Elks may not avail itself of the benefits of a liquor license and the license's concomitant state regulation" as long as it violated the Utah State Civil Rights Act. In 1979, the qualifications for membership included being male, at least 21 years old, of sound mind and body, a citizen of the United States and not a member of the Communist Party. Membership was restricted to whites until 1973. In nearly all instances, the all-whites clause was made public after someone was denied the use of the Elks' dining or leisure facilities.
In the early 1970s, this policy led the Order into conflict with the courts over its refusal to allow black people the use of its club and leisure activities. The BPOE was originally an all- white organization. In 1919, a "Flag Day resolution" was passed, barring membership to even passive sympathizers "of the Bolsheviks, Anarchists, the I.W.W., or kindred organizations, or who does not give undivided allegiance to" the flag and constitution of the United States.
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