WorldCon trying a consultative online vote

Scrolling Mastodon on Dec. 19, I saw a post from Nicholas Whyte about the 2024 Glasgow WorldCon planning a consultative (nonbinding) online vote about a proposed change to the Hugo Awards, which would add two categories.  

I was pretty excited about this, and posted threads about it on both Mastodon and Bluesky. I got a few favorites on Mastodon and a lot of favorites and boosts (and a few new followers) on Bluesky. I'll recap here:

This is pretty exciting and potentially important for SFFH fans! Glasgow Worldcon is holding a consultative ONLINE vote between the close of award voting and the start of the convention, about a proposal to create two more Hugo Award Categories. But this will also test online Hugo voting in general.

The onsite-only voting process does require a demonstration of true commitment from voters (I can attest to this, having attended several lengthy Business Meetings). But as I noted, it's far from inclusive.
Per @nwhyte 's press release for Glasgow2024 Worldcon: "In 2016, the idea of an approval vote for Hugo finalists, as a third round in the nomination process, was passed at the Business Meeting but not ratified in 2017. We therefore propose to test the operation of a consultative vote..."

So while this consultative online vote will be nonbinding for this particular Hugo Awards resolution, it could help to eventually lead to WSFS members voting online as a *part* of a future three-step ratifications process (with the other two steps presumably being on-site votes at successive cons).

I'm excited by this idea, which would help make the World Science Fiction Society amendment-ratification process more inclusive every time, instead of swinging between the populations of whoever can make it to the onsite, multi-day WSFS Business Meetings at two successive Worldcons for each change.

I think trying to move to online-only voting (with no onsite steps) would be far too drastic a change to the WSFS amendment process for now. But adding an online voting component absolutely seems appropriate to me. Participation in this nonbinding vote will help bring that future possibility closer.

On a personal note, I'll certainly be participating in this vote. I'd been planning to attend the Glasgow Worldcon this summer, and participate in the business meetings, until I found out that neither masks nor vaccinations will be required. Now I'm torn, but at least my opinion will be seen online.

For the record, I'll be voting against the proposed change to the Hugo Awards, which would add two more categories to an already long list of awards. But I think adding an online component to the voting process is a great idea.