2019 Site Selection: Validating Postal Votes

[Facing]: Johan Anglemark, Mark Linneman, Eemeli Aro, Emma England. [Opposite] Paul Taylor, Ben Yalow, Kate Secor.

By James Bacon: (Chair of the Dublin in 2019 bid). I’m observing the postal vote process. The administrator and the team are assisted by members of the Dublin in 2019 team and committee, people from six countries are taking part. Walter Jon Williams has joined us for a few moments, as I look on. Neutral separators are handling and ensuring it’s all correctly managed.  Worldcon 75 staff check against, their data and the level attention to detail and slow and steady methodical progress is taken seriously. The integrity of the procedure is impressive and I’m stunned at the knowledge of those here who deal with inevitable errors that may have occurred.

Here with me from the Dublin Team are Emma England, Ben Yalow and Paul Taylor. The bids are welcome and indeed expected to help and participate in the whole process, everything is run by volunteers, although this is something I have not done before and it feels like we are momentarily connected to people from far-flung places who want to participate in the decision-making process of who will get to host the Worldcon in 2019.

From Worldcon 75 there is Kate Secor, Michael Lee, Eemeli Aro, Mark Linneman and Johan Anglemark.

The large stack of envelopes is impressive and I’m allowed to photograph some of the stamps which I like. I love post and in many ways this is fabulous post.

Post has arrived at the US address from New Zealand, Germany, Canada and of course United States. The votes arriving at the Helsinki are even more varied with votes from Ireland, United Kingdom, Sweden, Austria, New Zealand, and Germany.

The process takes over two hours but the atmosphere is lovely and it’s an amazing thing to see the mechanics of this process which has existed in this form since 1983.

Science Fiction has permeated so much of our culture that some of the stamps used have particular relevance and make me smile.

More votes will be hand-carried and passed to the voting table from tomorrow and then of course everyone present here is entitled to vote.

 

UK in 2024 Discussion Continues

The UK in 2024 Worldcon discussion group now has a landing page at http://www.ukin2024.org/.

The group was begun in 2015 by Emma England, Vanessa May, Esther MacCallum-Stewart and James Bacon.

Esther MacCallum-Stewart adds —

The group was launched in 2015 at Novacon, in order to explore the possibility of bidding for a Worldcon in the UK in 2024. It was formed as a result of the huge enthusiasm generated from Loncon 3, and because of the thriving science fiction, fantasy and horror scene in the UK, which very much wants to see Worldcon returning to our shores in the future. The group is formed of fans old and new, with experience both of running Worldcons and involvement with the UK convention community.

We are currently exploring venues around the UK, and will hold two sessions at the forthcoming UK Conrunner event in February to discuss ways forwards, and to talk more about the locations in depth.

For more information, you can either attend one of the discussion sessions, or write to the group at [email protected].