2020 Down Under Fan Fund

Down Under Fan Fund co-administrator Paul Weimer has announced the 2020 DUFF ballot is live. There are four candidates to become the fund’s delegate to CoNZealand, the 78th Worldcon, 2020, in Wellington, New Zealand – Richard Auffrey, Shaun Duke, James Davis Nicoll, and Erin Underwood.

The voting process is DUFF’s fundraiser, and votes need to be accompanied by a minimum contribution of at least $5 in US, Australian, Canadian, or New Zealand currency.

Vote by emailing a copy of the ballot to both the Administrators. Pay using PayPal or by Credit Card to Paul. Full voting instructions and payment options are in the PDF ballot which is online here.

The voting deadline is March 27, 20202 at 11:59 p.m. EST (Eastern Standard Time in the U.S.).

The candidates’ platforms and nominators are:

  • Richard Auffrey

Send the Passionate Foodie to New Zealand! 

I’ve attended SFF conventions for 40 years, including 2 World Cons. Each year, I read 250+ books, including many genre novels, highlighting my favorites each year in my blog. In addition, I’ve previously interviewed numberous SFF authors for my Alcohol, Authors and Accolades series. I’m also the author of the Tipsy Sensei series, supernatural thrillers about a Sake expert encountering creatures from Japanese folklore. In addition, I’ve been a role-player for 40 years, usually as a Game Master, covering a diverse blend of games. It would be an honor to represent U.S. fandom.

(Nominators: North America: Fred Kiesche, Paul Moore, Ed Tisdale; Australasia: Gillian Polack, Dan Rabarts)

  • Shaun Duke

I’m a host for the two-time Hugo Finalist podcast, The Skiffy and Fanty Show, and a global SF enthusiast. In 2014, I created the World SF Tour to celebrate non-US SF/F through interviews and discussions; at each of the three international Worldcons I have attended (London, Helsinki, and Dublin), I have recorded podcasts to highlight SF/F from around the world. If selected as the DUFF delegate, I will continue that mission by more deeply exploring fandom and SF/F in New Zealand and Australia at ConZealand. I’ve got a handheld recorder, a geeky mind, and a hankering for ocean crossings!

(Nominators: North America: David Annadale, Beverly Bambury, Jen Zink; Australasia: Joyce Chng, Elizabeth Fitzgerald)

  • James Davis Nicoll

I would like to stand as a candidate for the 2020 DUFF. I have been an avid reader of speculative fiction for almost sixty years. I have attended cons, written thousands of reviews, served on diverse award juries, and provided the world with valuable safety hints [1]. If I am selected, I vow to embrace tradition and attempt to produce a humorous journal in the tradition of Walt Willis’ The Harp Stateside[2].

1: Persons concerned about sending me to a geologically active nation like New Zealand can rest assured that the Hawaii incident was probably a fluke.

2: With footnotes.

(Nominators: North America: Sean Fagan, Mike Glyer, David Goldfarb; AU/NZ: Jo Van Ekeren, Elaine Walker)

  • Erin Underwood

I’m a con runner and fan editor/writer from Boston, Massachusetts, USA, whose passion for science, fandom, and SF/F drives me to bring new voices to publications and convention programs. While I’ve worked pre-con for many Worldcons, I could only afford attending a few conventions that I helped to create. I’d love to attend ConZealand, sharing my passion for SF/F with New Zealand and Australian fans, while also learning from those communities. I’m editing a special edition of the fanzine, Journey Planet, highlighting New Zealand and ConZealand, and will promote fandom and DUFF through blogging, social media, and a summary report.

(Nominators: North America: Janice Gelb, Nancy Holder, Jim Kelly, Australasia: David McDonald, Garth Nix)

[Update 01/20/2020: Made changes to correspond with revised ballot.]

19 thoughts on “2020 Down Under Fan Fund

  1. I have been told already that the ballot lacks the names of the nominators; I did not realize this was a requirement and it wiill be addressed next week.
    I also have been told that the PDF ballot size is excessive because of the size of type used. I decided to prioritize the sight of some of our older readers and use a larger and easier to read font.
    Lost in my spam was yet another nomination for Erin Underwood, by North American Stephen Boucher

    4) I do hope that every fan with the means donates and votes. Fan Funds like DUFF cannot exist and thrive without donation from fans like YOU.

  2. Hi Paul.

    Janice Gelb is certainly going to be surprised to learn from you that Stephen Boucher has moved to North America!

  3. @Rich Thank you. His email did not specify where he was nominating from, and I jumped to the island of the wrong conclusion.

    @James. No, I never received a nomination from Mr. Glyer.
    Unless, Mike, you only sent it to Marlee and she missed it?

  4. I just discovered I typoed your email address — put two “j’s” at the beginning. I’ve forwarded another copy so you all can see what it was.

  5. Thank you. You did also send it to Marlee but Marlee probably never saw the double js and so never realized I missed it.

    Anyway, thanks for straightening this out. You should update this post, since you are, in fact, an official Nominator for James. I have updated the website, and when I fix the PDF, I will add you there as well.

  6. I am seriously thinking of voting for James Davis Nicoll because I want to see what will happen to New Zealand. I can’t be the only person thinking this.

  7. Like I said, Hawaii was atypical. Generally volcanoes have not become active while I was around.

  8. If they’re going to allow one of the candidates to have eight nominators, then I think that they should allow the rest of the candidates who actually followed the rules to add additional nominators. That really is not fair. 😐

  9. @Paul, thanks for posting this. Also, you’re welcome to only list 5 nominators for me.

    As mentioned in email previously, some of my nominators sent nominations without letting me know that they had sent them through until the period was almost ended. So, I ended up with more than required. Again, happy to just have the first 5 nominators listed. Thanks!

  10. That was what I’d have said — but I’ve learned not discuss rules with a rules lawyer.

  11. James Davis Nicoll: But surely there wasn’t a cap on the number of nominators? Just a floor?

    There’s never been a cap, but no one’s abused that before now. There’s always going to be someone who’s willing to try it on, and it’s best just to nip that in the bud. If they allow any number of nominators, then it just turns into a war of escalation to see who can get the longest, most impressive list — instead of focusing on the candidates’ contributions to, and participation in, fandom.

  12. James

    No, there isn’t a cap on nominators, but I can see how flooding the zone with nominators might be seen as intentionally or unintentionally, a way to try and influence the voting.

    So I made a decision to change the ballot and materials and publish the first nominators that brought the candidates to the necessary minimum.

    Democracy and voting, it turns out, is a messy business. Who knew?

  13. Listing the first 5 makes practical and logical sense. However, there is always a chance that a nominator forgets or the email goes astray, landing in a spam box unseen. So, it should be fine for additional nominations to come in as long as only the first five are shown and displayed on that ballot. That way everything is secure and fair. Thanks for working this through Paul. It’s definitely much better the way you have it now.

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