Nominations are now open for the 2016 Hugo Awards.

You can nominate online at http://midamericon2.org/the-hugo-awards/hugo-nominations/

Those still using paper can also download a ballot and mail it in.

On-line works better, though. A mailed ballot, once mailed, is done. On-line, you can fill in a few choices now, then add or change later. The nominations are opening now, but won’t close until March 31. So if you know a few things you want to nominate, and you have your PIN, put them down now. You can always change ’em later.

Of course, you do need to be a worldcon member to nominate. That is to say, a member of this year’s worldcon (MidAmericon II in Kansas City), or last year’s (Sasquan in Spokane), or next year’s (in Helsinki). If you hold a membership in any of those you’re good.

If not, though, you need to act NOW. To qualify, you need to buy a membership in either KC or Helsinki by JANUARY 31, and the last time I looked, that was tomorrow.

You can sign up at:
http://www.worldcon.fi/
http://midamericon2.org/registration/

Even if you can’t come to worldcon, you can still nominate and vote by buying a supporting membership. But attending is better, if you can make it. Finland has never hosted a worldcon before, but Helsinki is a great city, so ’17 should be a hoot and a half. With saunas. As for KC, MidAmericon I in 1976 was my favorite worldcon of all time, and if MAC II is even half as good, it will be terrific.

What you nominate is, of course, entirely up to you.

But please, NOMINATE. I have been beating that same drum for a decade, and this year it behooves me to beat it even louder. Nominate the stuff that you enjoyed best last year. Let your own individual voice be heard.

Yes, I have recommended some stuff I liked, in older posts below. And I will be doing more of same in the near future. But remember, that’s just me saying, “hey, I liked this, you might like it too, take a look.” No one should ever nominate anything just because someone else tells them to.

((This is has been a fannish service announcement)).