The History of Fan Voting in the Hugo Awards #ScienceFiction

Science fiction is a genre driven by fans. From the very start, science fiction fandom drove popularity through clubs, zines, and conventions. Fans even choose the recipient of the Hugo Award, the premiere honor for science fiction creators. Here’s more on the Hugo Awards from the SF Encyclopedia!

Hugos were first awarded at the 1953 World SF Convention…. They have always been fan-voted awards as opposed to, say, the Nebula or Philip K Dick Award, which are voted on by different categories of professional reader. The original idea, from fan Hal Lynch, was based on the National Film Academy Awards (Oscars). The award takes the form of a rocketship mounted upright on fins. The first model was designed and produced by Jack McKnight; from 1955 a similar design by Ben Jason has normally been used. The rockets have been cast since 1984 (except 1991) in Birmingham, UK, at the foundry of prominent fan Peter Weston; in 1992 they were gold-plated to celebrate the 50th Worldcon, and again in 2003 for the 50th anniversary of the first presentation. The base of the trophy is different every year, with modern Worldcons normally running a competition for the best design.

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