None of the Above

The WSFS constitution requires that both the Hugo final ballot and the site selection ballot include "None of the Above" as one of the choices. (It's called "No Award" on the Hugo final ballot, but it acts exactly the same way.) Voting None of the Above is a way of saying that you are opposed to all remaining bidders.

While None of the Above can be eliminated just like any other candidate, the WSFS preferential voting rules have a special provision that once a winner is determined, there is a run-off with None of the Above. All ballots listing both the winner and None of the Above are examined and if more of them list None of the Above higher than the winner, there is no winner. (This was added after the 1995 NASFiC site Selection where a hoax bid was allowed on the final ballot and split the votes against the winner. Many voters had voted #1 - Hoax Bid, #2 - None of the Above while others had voted #1 - None of the Above and #2 - Hoax Bid, causing None of the Above to be eliminated even though an absolute majority of the voters favored it over the eventual winner.) See 1995 Worldcon Site Selection.)

It's called "None of the Above" because it is positioned just below the bidders on the ballot. Ironically, when it is voted, it is really a "None of the Below" vote. Let's say there are three bidders, A, B and C, and you like A better than C, but really dislike B. While the ballot would be written:

___ A

___ B

___ C

___ None of the Above

___ No preference

___ Write-in

You would list your choices #1 - A, #2 - C, #3 - None of the Above, and #4 - B.

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