Consecutively Numbered Money Orders

“Consecutively numbered money orders” refers to what was considered an attempt to game the 1989 Hugos, when a bloc of nominations of one candidate for the Best Novel Hugo were accompanied by new Worldcon membership applications with fees paid for that way. It isn’t known whether the people the memberships were for were real or not or who bought the money orders.

After the news leaked, the novel in question was withdrawn, and Hugo nominations rules were subsequently changed so that in order to nominate, one must have joined WSFS before the nominations period opens. In 2021, the WSFS Business Meeting ratified a constitutional change making the joining deadline January 31 of the awarding year.

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Fanhistory

1989

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