Subject

Year Key

Text

Current Reference

Disposition

Committee

2001-08

Moved, to establish a committee to study the history of Worldcons and to produce a standard list of Worldcon historical information, with Bruce Pelz as chair, and the chair authorized to appoint additional members.

"Worldcon historical information" amended to "Worldcon and Hugo Award historical information." and passed in 2001

Committees

1980-20

It is proposed that the organization which, by vote of the WSFS members of a Worldcon, is awarded the privilege of producing the very next Worldcon, be required to apply a significant amount of time, effort, and money to the generation and timely promulgation of publicity (e.g., advertisements in major urban newspapers and national news-oriented or family-oriented magazines, posting of fliers in local business establishments and schools/colleges/state and local government facilities by volunteers recruited worldwide, etc.) designed to inform the very many members of the general public, who read science fiction books but do not subscribe to the magazines in the field, of the existence of that Worldcon. It is requested that the above proposal, if approved, be incorporated as a standing rule for all Worldcon committees to adhere to.

OTC in 1980

Committees

1980-21

It is proposed that an evaluation form be included in all future Worldcon program books for the purpose of rating the hotel(s) at which Worldcons are held. Various categories (e.g., comfortability of rooms, luxuriousness of appointments, demeanor/responsiveness of the hotel management and staff, degree of harassment of convention members by hotel detectives, etc.) will be printed on the form. Attending members would then rate the hotel in each category on a scale of one to ten and drop the completed forms into a container assigned by the Worldcon committee for this purpose. At the end of the Worldcon, these category ratings would be totaled and averaged by the number of forms actually received. The totals and averages would then be printed and forwarded to: (1) the hotel itself for purposes of feedback and (2) to the bidding organization chosen by the WSFS membership to sponsor the very next Worldcon, along with any ratings received from prior Worldcon committees for hotels located both inside and outside the region of the organization so chosen. This organization, when it came time to mail ballots to pre-registrants for choosing the site of the succeeding Worldcon, would perpetuate the ratings results received for hotels designated by the committees named on the ballot. This will encourage hotels to provide the best possible service to Worldcon attendees (in the hopes of being chosen again as the Worldcon site in three more years) as the current ratings will replace older ones.

OTC in 1980

Committees

1980-24

MOVED, to amend the WSFS Constitution by adding the following provision: every Committee shall at least twice send copies of their membership list, including name, number, and address information, to all future Committees that have been selected at the time of sending. One such copy shall be sent shortly before the convention of the sending Committee, and one including any members joining at the convention shall be sent as soon as practicable after the convention of the sending Committee.

Defeated in 1980

Committees

1981-09

REWRITTEN AGAIN: : MOVED, to amend the WSFS Constitution by adding the following new section: The Convention Committee shall charge persons who are under eighteen years of age, or who are full-time college students, reduced fees for attending membership in the Convention and for attendance at such other functions as may require charges, with the exception of banquets; however, no such reduction shall be applied to the site-selection voting fee, nor to the cost of conversion to attending membership within ninety days by persons who became members by casting site-selection ballots.

Withdrawn in 1981

Committees

1981-10

MOVED, that each World Convention Committee shall be required to reduce the cost of the Convention to attendees as much as possible.

OTC in 1981

Committees

1987-03

MOVED, to amend the WSFS Constitution and the Standing Rules for the Governance of the WSFS Business Meeting as follows:
1. Insert the following new Section in Article IV of the Constitution:
"Each future selected Worldcon Committee shall send an official representative to the Business Meeting to answer questions about their Worldcon."
2. At the time the above amendment to the Constitution takes effect, add the following to Standing Rule 19:
"At the Site Selection Meeting fifteen(15) minutes shall be allotted to each of the three future selected Worldcons. During the first five (5) minutes their representative may make such presentations as they may wish. The remaining time shall be available for questions to be asked about the representative's Worldcon. Questions may be submitted in writing at any previous session of the Business Meeting and if so submitted shall have priority (if the submitter is present at Question Time and still wishes to ask the question) except that under no circumstances may a person ask a second question as long as any person wishes to ask their first question. Questions are limited to fifteen seconds and answers to two minutes. Any of these time limits may be adjusted for any presentation or question by majority vote."

R7.1

Committees

1991-11

MOVED, to replace Article 4 Section 10 of the WSFS Constitution by:
"The Constitution of WSFS, together with an explanation of proposed changes approved but not yet ratified, and the Standing Rules shall be printed by the current Worldcon Committee, distributed to all WSFS members at a point between nine and three months prior to the Worldcon, and distributed to all WSFS members in attendance at the Worldcon upon registration"
and also MOVED, to add after the first sentence in Article 2 Section 18, the following:
"The Committee shall include with each nomination ballot a copy of Article 2 of the WSFS Constitution."

S3.7.2

Committees

1992-04

MOVED, to add the following section to Article III of the WSFS Constitution:
No Worldcon Committee shall reimburse its members or supporters for expenses incurred or donations made in support of the Committee when it was a bidding committee, nor shall any Worldcon memberships be sold at a discount by virtue of the member's having supported a bidding committee.
PROVIDED THAT this rule shall first apply to the Committee of the ____ Worldcon.

The blank in the proviso was filled with "2525", and the motion was defeated in 1992.

Committees

1997-04

MOVED, to amend the WSFS Constitution by striking out Sections 1.4 (second sentence), 1.5.5, 1.7, 1.8, 3.9, 3.10, 4.2 and 5.6, and inserting the following new Article between Articles 1 and 2: [Text in brackets, including this text, is explanatory and not substantive.]

Article A - Powers and Duties of Worldcon Committees

Section A.9: Financial Reports.

A.9.4: In the event of a surplus, the Worldcon Committee, or any alternative organizational entity established to oversee and disburse that surplus, shall file annual financial reports regarding the disbursement of that surplus at each year's Business Meeting, until the surplus is totally expended or an amount equal to the original surplus has been disbursed.

S2.1-2.9

Committees

2000-04

2.9.4: In the event of a surplus, the Worldcon or NASFiC Committee, or any alternative organizational entity established to oversee and disburse that surplus, shall file annual financial reports regarding the disbursement of that surplus at each year's Business Meeting, until the surplus is totally expended or an amount equal to the original surplus has been disbursed.

S2.9

Committees

2001-06

Section 2.10: Membership Badges. Each Worldcon shall provide each attending member with a name badge containing at least the member’s name and membership number. Pre-registered members’ names shall be printed on the badge in no less than 24-point bold type.

"pre-" and "bold" struck. Replaced by resolution 2001-07

Committees

2001-07

Resolved, The NP&FS is directed to remind each future Worldcon, early and often, that the WSFS Business Meeting believes that membership badges be readable, with members’ names printed in no less than 24 point type.

Passed in 2001.

Committees: Financial

1978-05

B. by striking the words "and should publish or have published by the following Convention Committee a final financial report" and appending the following:
Each Convention Committee shall retain an independent certified public accountant at least a year before their convention and shall publish a financial statement compiled and reviewed by said accountant within 90 days after their convention and a final financial statement within a year.

S2.9.2

The 1979 MBM amended "compiled and reviewed" to "prepared"and ratified amendment.

Committees: Financial

1981-03

A change of ‘in existence’ to ‘selected’ was suggested, and accepted by the maker of the motion.

S6.4

Committees: Financial

1986-09

MOVED, to amend the WSFS Constitution by striking the second sentence of Article I, Section 7, and inserting the following in its place:
"Each Worldcon Committee shall submit an annual financial report, including a statement of income and expenses, to each WSFS Business Meeting after the Committee's selection through the first or second Business Meeting after its Worldcon, at its option, to which it will also submit a cumulative financial report."

S2.9.4

Ratified in 1987.

Committees: Financial

1989-04

Change Section 8 of Article 1 to require:
- submission of a financial report on the last year’s Worldcon profit/loss at the next year’s business meeting (vice the ‘one or two year’ language currently in the constitution.)
- submission of subsequent annual financial reports dealing with the disbursement of said Worldcon’s profits at each year’s business meeting by the Worldcon committee, or any alternative organizational entity established to oversee and disburse those profits, until the profits are totally expended or an amount equal to the original profit has been disbursed.

S2.9.4

Committees: Financial

1990-05

MOVED, to amend the Constitution of the World Science Fiction Society by adding the following to Article I:
"Any member of the Society shall have the right, under reasonable conditions, to examine the financial records and books of account of all future selected Worldcon Committees and the two immediately preceding Worldcon Committees."

S2.8

Ratified in 1991

Constitution

1981-02

C) Insert "(known as the Worldcon)" after the first occurrence of "World Science Fiction Convention" and substitute "Worldcon" for "World Science Fiction Convention" where appropriate thereafter.

S2.2

Ratified in 1982

Constitution

1984-06

[Text as revised by the Secretary:
MOVED, to amend Article IV, Section 4 of the WSFS Constitution by adding, after the words "...Newly Revised": (or the equivalent meeting rules authority in the country of the current Worldcon, provided that such authority must be specified when a site-selection bid is filed).]

Not Ratified in 1985.

Constitution

1984-07

3) Insert "and NASFiC" after the second word in Article I, Section 6, and insert "NASFiC" into the list of marks in the notice whose publication is required by the same section.

S2.2

Constitution

1984-09

(b) This shall not preclude an individual who is a member of a Worldcon Committee from offering their services, funds, or supplies to a prospective Worldcon Committee.
(c) This shall not preclude a current Worldcon Committee from accepting the services of a prospective Worldcon Committee or its members, nor shall it preclude a prospective Worldcon Committee from offering services or merchandise to the members of a Worldcon.

Converted to resolution and passed in 1984

Constitution

1985-01

Amend, by adding the following to Article I, Section 7: ‘The net income from running a Worldcon and earnings derived from such income shall not be used to bid for a different Worldcon except that equal grants may be given to all of the bidders who have filed by the deadline for a particular year.’

Not Ratified in 1986

Constitution

1985-06

MOVED. To amend the WSFS Constitution by striking Article IV, Section 1 and inserting the following in its place:
‘Any amendment to the WSFS Constitution must be adopted by majority vote at a Business Meeting and ratified by majority vote at the Business Meeting of the following Worldcon, except as follows: (A) one or more Worldcon Business Meetings may occur between the initial adoption and the ratification if each postpones ratification to the following Business Meeting; and (B) the version of the amendment up for ratification may be divided into severable and independent sections which may be considered separately or amended such that it is a change of lesser quantity or degree than that initially adopted provided there is no change in its nature and quality. Should any Business Meeting neither postpone nor ratify a constitutional amendment up for ratification or should the Business Meeting amend it in a way inconsistent with the restrictions above, the constitutional amendment process is thereby voided but may be restarted by a new adoption by majority vote.’

OTC in 1985

Constitution

1985-10

MOVED, to Amend the WSFS Constitution by adding the following to Article I:
‘No part of the Society’s net earnings shall be paid to its members, officers, or other private persons except in furtherance of the Society's purposes. The Society shall not attempt to influence legislation or any political campaign for public office. Should the Society dissolve, its assets shall be distributed by the Standing Committee or the appropriate court having jurisdiction, exclusively for charitable purposes. In this section, references to the Society include the Standing Committee and all other agencies of the Society but not convention bidding or operating committees.’

S1.3

Ratified in 1986.

Constitution

1986-12

MOVED, to amend Article IV, Section 8, of the WSFS Constitution, by striking the words "printed in the Worldcon Program Book, if there is one" and inserting in their place the words "distributed to all WSFS members in attendance at the Worldcon upon registration."

S2.4

Constitution

1987-02

1. Add the following to Article IV, Section 4:
"The quorum for the Business Meeting shall be twelve members of the Society physically present."
2. At the time the above amendment to the Constitution takes effect, delete the first two sentences of Standing Rule 18.

S5.1.5

Constitution

1987-04

MOVED, to amend the WSFS Constitution as follows:
Replace the words "Worldcon Committee" with "Mark Registration and Protection Committee" in the following Sections:-
II.2, II.17, II.18, II.20, II.21, II.21, III.1, III.4 (first occurrence only).
Replace Article III, Section 6(1), with
"Voting shall be by written ballot administered by the Mark Registration and Protection Committee at the then current Worldcon, if there is no NASFiC following the Worldcon that year, or at the NASFiC, if there is one following the Worldcon, with ballots cast either by mail or at the appropriate convention, and with only members of the appropriate convention allowed to vote."
Add the following to Article IV as a new Section after Section 7:
The Business Meeting shall by resolution provide for the funding of these processes. It shall require a 3/4 (three-quarters) vote of the Business Meeting to provide more than two US dollars ($2) per member for these processes.

OTC in 1987

Constitution

1990-08

2. In Article I, Section 4, delete "except where prohibited by local law".

Defeated in 1990

Constitution

1990-10

4. Replace Article IV, Section 1, with the following: "The WSFS Constitution may be amended by a motion passed at any Business Meeting but only to the extent that such motion is ratified at the Business Meeting of the subsequent Worldcon."

S6.3

Inserted "by a simple majority" after the words "passed" and "ratified"; and passed in 1990. Ratified in 1991

Constitution

1991-16

A committee shall be appointed and shall be charged with the incorporation of the World Science Fiction Society (WSFS) as a non-profit, literary society for the promotion of science fiction and the oversight of the annual World Science Fiction Convention (WorldCon). Such a corporation shall have a board of directors elected by the paid membership of WSFS and shall be empowered to hire, lease, contract for, purchase such personnel, equipment, and services necessary to the administration of the society.

OTC in 1991

Constitution

1991-17

MOVED, to amend Article 4 Section 10 by adding the following sentence:
"Within two (2) months after the end of each Worldcon, the Committee shall send a copy of all changes to the Constitution and the Standing Rules, and all items awaiting ratification, to the next Worldcon Committee."

S5.3

Ratified in 1992

Constitution

1991-19

(1) Amend the section newly inserted in Article 3 as follows:
Only natural persons shall be allowed to cast site-selection ballots for other than "No Preference", and no individual shall cast more than one such ballot. (This shall not be interpreted to prohibit delivery of ballots cast by other eligible voters.) "No Preference" ballots may be cast by corporations, associations, and other non-human or artificial entities. "Guest of" memberships must be transferred to individual natural persons before being cast for other than "No Preference", with such transfers accepted by the administering convention.
(2) Add the following section to Article 4:
In all matters arising under this Constitution, only natural persons may introduce business, nominate, or vote, except as specifically provided otherwise in this Constitution. No person may cast more than one vote on any issue or more than one ballot in any election. This shall not be interpreted to prohibit delivery of ballots cast by other eligible voters.

Constitution

1993-06

1.9.8: Any member of WSFS may bring charges against any other member of WSFS for violating any provision in Section 1.9 by bringing a motion before the WSFS Business Meeting, and presenting evidence in support of said motion. The motion shall be argued in the same manner as any motion of 50 words or more. Should the motion carry by a simple majority vote, the accused shall have his or her money refunded by the WorldCon Committee and be banned from that particular WorldCon, and the motion shall be part of the business passed on to the next WorldCon. Should the motion be ratified at the following WorldCon, that WorldCon shall also refund the admission fee to the accused, as well as any committee for a future WorldCon for whom the accused has purchased membership, and the accused shall be banned from WorldCon permanently, or until such time as a majority vote at a future WSFS Business Meeting not less than three years later sees fit to un-ban such person.

OTC in 1993

Constitution

1994-19

[MOVED, to] add the following language to the Constitution:
Numbers and titles of the various parts of the Constitution and Standing Rules are for the sake of easy reference only. They do not form a substantive part of those documents nor of any motion to amend those documents. The Business Meeting staff shall incorporate into those documents correct insertions and deletions when required by adopted amendments. For amendments to the Constitution, the staff shall change any other provision of the Constitution and Standing Rules equally affected. For amendments to the Standing Rules, the staff shall change any other provision of the Standing Rules equally affected. For any such changes, the staff shall change part numbers, titles, and internal cross-references as necessary to maintain a consistent, parallel structure.

Committed to the Standing Rules Working Group in 1994.

Constitution

1994-20

[MOVED, to] add the following language to the Constitution:
Following each Worldcon, the Business Meeting staff may change unamended part numbers, titles, cross-references, punctuation, grammar, and capitalization in the Constitution and Standing Rules to enhance consistency and clarity.

Committed to the Standing Rules Working Group in 1994.

Constitution

1995-03

Meetings shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of (in descending [order of] precedence){:} the WSFS Constitution, the Standing Rules, such other rules as may be published in advance by the current Committee (which may be suspended by the Business Meeting by the same procedure as a Standing Rule), and Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised.

S5.1.4

Ratified in 1996.

Constitution

1996-20

Provided That upon ratification of this amendment, Standing Rule 30 shall be repealed.

Withdrawn in 1996.

Constitution

1997-02

MOVED, to amend the WSFS Constitution by adding the following section to Article IV:

4.x: The Business Meeting may create or recognize sponsored publications that further the purposes of the Business Meeting or the Society. Status as a WSFS-sponsored publication shall continue until revoked. These publications may report to the Business Meeting, accept corporate aegis, and provide for their own organization and continuation, provided that changes to the organization of publications created by the Business Meeting must be reported. The Business Meeting may instruct and reorganize created publications, alter created publications into recognized publications, or appoint an officer or committee to restart a sponsored publication that has died.

PROVIDED THAT initially the created publications are "Resolutions of Continuing Effect" and "The Worldcon Runners" Guide" (formerly committees of the Business Meeting) and the recognized publications are "W.O.O.F." and "APA: WSFS".

OTC in 1997

Constitution

1997-03

MOVED, to amend the WSFS Constitution as follows:

4.1: …Meetings shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of (in descending order of precedence) the WSFS Constitution; the Standing Rules; such other rules as may be published in advance by the current Committee (which rules may be suspended by the Business Meeting by the same procedure as a Standing Rule); the customs and usages of WSFS (including the resolutions and rulings of continuing effect); and Robert"s Rules of Order, Newly Revised.…

S5.1.4

Constitution

1998-01

[4] These sections are unnecessary if "Yet More Business" is ratified.

Constitution: Business Meeting

1991-05

MOVED, to add to Section 4 of Article 4 of the WSFS Constitution the following sentence:
"The Business Meetings shall not be held before noon nor after 8 PM local time."

OTC in 1991

Constitution: Business Meeting

1997-08

Article IV - Powers of the Business Meeting

Section 4.1: WSFS Business Meetings.

4.1.1: Business Meetings of WSFS shall be held at advertised times at each Worldcon.

4.1.2: The current Worldcon Committee shall provide the Presiding Officer and Staff for each Meeting.

4.1.3: The Business Meeting may adopt Standing Rules for its own governance.

4.1.4: Meetings shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of (in descending order of precedence) the WSFS Constitution; the Standing Rules; such other rules as may be published in advance by the current Committee (which rules may be suspended by the Business Meeting by the same procedure as a Standing Rule); and the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised.

4.1.5: The quorum for the Business Meeting shall be twelve members of the Society physically present.

Section 4.2: Continuation of Committees. Except as otherwise provided in this Constitution, any committee or other position created by a Business Meeting shall lapse at the end of the next following Business Meeting that does not vote to continue it.

Section 4.3: Constitutional Pass-along. Within two (2) months after the end of each Worldcon, the Business Meeting staff shall send a copy of all changes to the Constitution and Standing Rules, and all items awaiting ratification, to the next Worldcon Committee.

S5.1-5.3

Constitution: Financial

1985-02

Moved, "to delete Article I, Section 7 and replace it with the following three sections.
VII. All surplus funds remaining after accounts are settled for the current Worldcon should be used for the benefit of Science Fiction and WSFS as a whole. Each Worldcon Committee shall have the option of designating up to twenty-five (25) percent of said surplus funds to be used to benefit Science Fiction in the local area where the Worldcon was held.
VIII. All surplus funds (except for funds designated to benefit Science Fiction in the local area) shall be controlled and administrated by the Standing Committee. Such surplus funds shall be transferred to the Standing Committee no later than six months after the close of the current convention.
IX. The Standing Committee shall appoint an independent accountant for each Worldcon at least 3 years before that Worldcon. The Worldcon Committee shall provide said accountant with full access to all financial records, and shall publish preliminary financial statements prepared by said accountant no later than ninety (90) days before the current Worldcon and with[in] ninety (90) days after the current Worldcon. The Worldcon committee shall publish a final financial statement prepared by said accountant no later than one (1) year after the close of the current Worldcon. The Worldcon committee shall be responsible for the coverage of reasonable expenses incurred for the services of said accountant.

OTC in 1985

Constitution: Standing Rules

1978-03

MOVED, to amend Article IV of the WSFS Constitution by adding Standing Rules to those rules in accordance with which the Business Meeting is to be conducted, adding Standing Rules to the items to be printed by the Convention Committee, and substitute the following for Section 3:
The conduct of all the affairs of the Society shall be determined by this Constitution together with all ratified amendments hereto and such Standing Rules as the Business Meeting may adopt for its own governance.

Ratified in 1979

Constitution: Standing Rules

1996-19

Provided That upon ratification of this amendment, Standing Rule 32 shall be repealed.

S5.1.3

Constitution: Standing Rules

2000-01

Moved, To direct the Secretary, under the authority of Standing Rule 23, to move Section 6.5 of the WSFS Constitution into Section 5.1 to replace the existing Section 5.1.3.

S5.1.3

Passed by unanimous consent in 2000

Hugo Awards

1981-04

(This amendment would clarify the definition of the Dramatic Presentation Hugo, the current text of which was written at a time before the proliferation of ‘miniseries’. It would confirm the eligibility of serialized dramas such as The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1978) or The Martian Chronicles. (1980), or the current year’s radio production of Star Wars, while maintaining the ineligibility of ‘series’ whose individual programs are separate stories.)

S3.2.4

Hugo Awards

1981-08

Extended Eligibility: In the event that a potential Hugo nominee receives extremely limited distribution in the year of its first publication or presentation, its eligibility may be extended for an additional year by a three-fourths vote of the intervening Business Meeting of the Society.

S3.4

Ratified in 1982

Hugo Awards

1990-09

3. Delete Article II, Section 1.

Defeated in 1990

Hugo Awards

1991-03

MOVED, to amend the WSFS Constitution by changing Article 2 throughout to provide that the year of eligibility be the calendar year 2 (two) before the year of the voting.
With the proviso that the Worldcon selected the year after this amendment is ratified shall not award any Hugos for the preceding year but may conduct the Hugo selection omitted in 1954.

OTC in 1991

Hugo Awards

1991-12

and also MOVED, to direct the Mark Registration and Protection Committee to cease protecting the mark "Science Fiction Achievement Award"

S3.3.13

Ratified in 1992

Hugo Awards

1996-12

The title of "Grand Master" shall be given to any individual who has received five or more Hugos for professional work in science fiction (as writer, artist, and/or editor). This shall apply to {both} current recipients of five or more Hugos as well as to all future recipients. Recipients of the Gandalf (Grand Master) Award, which was awarded between 1974 and 1980 by the Hugo voters in those years, are also included. Special Category Hugos awarded by a Worldcon Committee in accordance with Section 2.2.14 (or predecessor or successor language) and the Retrospective Hugos shall also be included in an individuals total count. Future Worldcon Committees shall include a list of current Grand Masters in the Program Book or other materials distributed to all WSFS members in attendance at the Worldcon. If an individual is receiving his or her fifth Hugo for professional work, and thus attaining Grand Master status, the Worldcon Committee presenting that award shall note this fact by such actions as including it on the Hugo Award or by any other means that it deems proper.

OTC in 1996

Hugo Awards

1997-06

Article II - Hugo Awards

Section 2.1: Introduction. Selection of the Hugo Awards shall be made as provided in this Article.

Section 2.2: General.

2.2.1: Unless otherwise specified, Hugo Awards are given in the various categories for work in the field of science fiction or fantasy appearing for the first time during the previous calendar year.

2.2.2: A work originally appearing in a language other than English shall also be eligible for the year in which it is first issued in English translation. A work, once it has appeared in English, may thus be eligible only once.

2.2.3: Publication date, or cover date in the case of a dated periodical, takes precedence over copyright date.

2.2.4: Works appearing in a series are eligible as individual works, but the series as a whole is not eligible. However, a work appearing in a number of parts shall be eligible for the year of the final part.

2.2.5: An author may withdraw a version of a work from consideration if the author feels that the version is not representative of what that author wrote.

2.2.6: The Worldcon Committee may relocate a story into a more appropriate category if it feels that it is necessary, provided that the length of the story is within the lesser of five thousand (5,000) words or twenty percent (20%) of the new category limits.

2.2.7: The Worldcon Committee is responsible for all matters concerning the Awards.

Section 2.3: Categories.

2.3.1: Best Novel. A science fiction or fantasy story of forty thousand (40,000) words or more.

2.3.2: Best Novella. A science fiction or fantasy story of between seventeen thousand five hundred (17,500) and forty thousand (40,000) words.

2.3.3: Best Novelette. A science fiction or fantasy story of between seven thousand five hundred (7,500) and seventeen thousand five hundred (17,500) words.

2.3.4: Best Short Story. A science fiction or fantasy story of less than seven thousand five hundred (7,500) words.

2.3.5: Best Related Book. Any work whose subject is related to the field of science fiction, fantasy, or fandom, appearing for the first time in book form during the previous calendar year, and which is either non-fiction or, if fictional, is noteworthy primarily for aspects other than the fictional text.

2.3.6: Best Dramatic Presentation. Any production in any medium of dramatized science fiction, fantasy or related subjects which has been publicly presented for the first time in its present dramatic form during the previous calendar year.

2.3.7: Best Professional Editor. The editor of any professional publication devoted primarily to science fiction or fantasy during the previous calendar year. A professional publication is one which had an average press run of at least ten thousand (10,000) copies per issue.

2.3.8: Best Professional Artist. An illustrator whose work has appeared in a professional publication in the field of science fiction or fantasy during the previous calendar year.

2.3.9: Best Semiprozine. Any generally available non-professional publication devoted to science fiction or fantasy which by the close of the previous calendar year has published four (4) or more issues, at least one (1) of which appeared in the previous calendar year, and which in the previous calendar year met at least two (2) of the following criteria:

1: had an average press run of at least one thousand (1000) copies per issue,
2: paid its contributors and/or staff in other than copies of the publication,
3: provided at least half the income of any one person,
4: had at least fifteen percent (15%) of its total space occupied by advertising,
5: announced itself to be a semiprozine.

2.3.10: Best Fanzine. Any generally available non-professional publication devoted to science fiction, fantasy, or related subjects which by the close of the previous calendar year has published four (4) or more issues, at least one (1) of which appeared in the previous calendar year, and which does not qualify as a semiprozine.

2.3.11: Best Fan Writer. Any person whose writing has appeared in semiprozines or fanzines or in generally available electronic media during the previous calendar year.

2.3.12: Best Fan Artist. An artist or cartoonist whose work has appeared through publication in semiprozines or fanzines or through other public display during the previous calendar year. Any person whose name appears on the final Hugo Awards ballot for a given year under the Professional Artist category shall not be eligible in the Fan Artist category for that year.

2.3.13: Additional Category. Not more than one special category may be created by the current Worldcon Committee with nomination and voting to be the same as for the permanent categories. The Worldcon Committee is not required to create any such category; such action by a Worldcon Committee should be under exceptional circumstances only; and the special category created by one Worldcon Committee shall not be binding on following Committees. Awards created under this paragraph shall be considered to be Hugo Awards.

Section 2.4: Extended Eligibility. In the event that a potential Hugo Award nominee receives extremely limited distribution in the year of its first publication or presentation, its eligibility may be extended for an additional year by a three-fourths (3/4) vote of the intervening Business Meeting of WSFS.

Section 2.5: Name and Design. The Hugo Award shall continue to be standardized on the rocket ship design of Jack McKnight and Ben Jason. Each Worldcon Committee may select its own choice of base design. The name (Hugo Award) and the design shall not be extended to any other award.

Section 2.6: "No Award". At the discretion of an individual Worldcon Committee, if the lack of nominations or final votes in a specific category shows a marked lack of interest in that category on the part of the voters, the Award in that category shall be canceled for that year.

Section 2.7: Nominations.

2.7.1: The Worldcon Committee shall conduct a poll to select the nominees for the final Award voting. Each member of either the administering or the immediately preceding Worldcon as of January 31 of the current calendar year shall be allowed to make up to five (5) equally weighted nominations in every category.

2.7.2: The Committee shall include with each nomination ballot a copy of Article II of the WSFS Constitution.

2.7.3: Nominations shall be solicited only for the Hugo Awards and the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer.

Section 2.8: Tallying of Nominations.

2.8.1: Except as provided below, the final Award ballots shall list in each category the five eligible nominees receiving the most nominations. If there is a tie including fifth place, all the tied eligible nominees shall be listed.

2.8.2: The Worldcon Committee shall determine the eligibility of nominees and assignment to the proper category of nominees nominated in more than one category.

2.8.3: Any nominations for "No Award" shall be disregarded.

2.8.4: If a nominee appears on a nomination ballot more than once in any one category, only one nomination shall be counted in that category.

2.8.5: No nominee shall appear on the final Award ballot if it received fewer nominations than five percent (5%) of the number of ballots listing one or more nominations in that category, except that the first three eligible nominees, including any ties, shall always be listed.

Section 2.9: Notification and Acceptance. Worldcon Committees shall use reasonable efforts to notify the nominees, or in the case of deceased or incapacitated persons, their heirs, assigns, or legal guardians, in each category prior to the release of such information. Each nominee shall be asked at that time to either accept or decline the nomination. If the nominee declines nomination, that nominee shall not appear on the final ballot.

Section 2.10: Voting.

2.10.1: Final Award voting shall be by mail, with ballots sent only to WSFS members. Final Award ballots shall include name, signature, address, and membership-number spaces to be filled in by the voter.

2.10.2: Final Award ballots shall list only the Hugo Awards and the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer.

2.10.3: "No Award" shall be listed in each category of Hugo Award on the final ballot.

2.10.4: The Committee shall, on or with the final ballot, designate, for each nominee in the printed fiction categories, one or more books, anthologies, or magazines in which the nominee appeared (including the book publisher or magazine issue date(s)).

2.10.5: Voters shall indicate the order of their preference for the nominees in each category.

Section 2.11: Tallying of Votes.

2.11.1: In each category, votes shall first be tallied by the voter's first choices. If no majority is then obtained, the nominee who places last in the initial tallying shall be eliminated and the ballots listing it as first choice shall be redistributed on the basis of those ballots' second choices. This process shall be repeated until a majority-vote winner is obtained.

2.11.2: No Award shall be given whenever the total number of valid ballots cast for a specific category (excluding those cast for "No Award" in first place) is less than twenty-five percent (25%) of the total number of final Award ballots received.

2.11.3: After a tentative winner is determined, then unless "No Award" shall be the winner, the following additional test shall be made. If the number of ballots preferring "No Award" to the tentative winner is greater than the number of ballots preferring the tentative winner to "No Award", then "No Award" shall be declared the winner of the election.

2.11.4: The complete numerical vote totals, including all preliminary tallies for first, second, ... places, shall be made public by the Worldcon Committee within ninety (90) days after the Worldcon. During the same period the nomination voting totals shall also be published, including in each category the vote counts for at least the fifteen highest vote-getters and any other candidate receiving a number of votes equal to at least five percent (5%) of the nomination ballots cast in that category.

Section 2.12: Exclusions. No member of the current Worldcon Committee nor any publications closely connected with a member of the Committee shall be eligible for an Award. However, should the Committee delegate all authority under this Article to a Subcommittee whose decisions are irrevocable by the Worldcon Committee, then this exclusion shall apply to members of the Subcommittee only.

Section 2.13: Retrospective Hugos. A Worldcon held 50, 75, or 100 years after a Worldcon at which no Hugos were presented may conduct nominations and elections for Hugos which would have been presented at that previous Worldcon. Procedures shall be as for the current Hugos. Categories receiving insufficient numbers of nominations may be dropped. Once retrospective Hugos have been awarded for a Worldcon, no other Worldcon shall present retrospective Hugos for that Worldcon.

Article 3

Hugo Awards

1999-05

Add Section 3.8.x: "No nominee shall be eligible which has already appeared on a final ballot."

Committee continued to report in 2001

Hugo Awards: Ballots

1980-06

MOVED, to amend Article II, Section 15 of the WSFS Constitution by inserting the following:
Nominations shall be solicited for, and the final ballot shall list, only the Hugo Awards and the John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best New Writer.

S3.10.2

Ratified in 1981

Hugo Awards: Ballots

1980-18

MOVED, to amend Article II of the WSFS Constitution by deleting the first and sixth sentences of Section 15 (to be renamed "Voting"), and inserting the following new section before it:
Nominations: Selection of nominees for the final Award voting shall be done by a poll, conducted by the Convention Committee, in which each Society member shall be allowed to make five (5) equally weighted nominations in every category. Assignment to the proper category of nominees nominated in more than one category, and eligibility of nominees, shall be determined by the Convention Committee.
(It standardizes the Hugo nominations procedure to what has actually been done most in recent years.)

S3.8.2

Hugo Awards: Ballots

1980-19

MOVED, to amend Article II, Section 15, of the WSFS Constitution by adding the following: No nominee shall appear on the Final Award ballot if it received fewer nominations than the lesser of either five percent (5%) of the number of nomination ballots cast, or the number of nominations received by the third-place nominee in that category.

S3.8.5

Ratified in 1981

Hugo Awards: Ballots

1983-04

The nominee with the smallest number of points shall be eliminated. Each of the remaining nominees shall start with zero points for a repetition of the process where the top two non-eliminated nominees from each ballot shall be used. This process shall be repeated until all but two of the nominees are eliminated. At that point, only those ballots that have both nominees rated shall be examined and divided into two groups based on which nominee is rated higher on each ballot. The nominee with the larger group of supporters shall be the winner of the award. The complete numerical vote totals shall be made public by the Worldcon Committee within ninety (90) days after the convention.

Ruled out of order in 1983

Hugo Awards: Ballots

1993-10

Moved, To amend section 2.6 of the WSFS Constitution by striking out "John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best New Writer" and inserting "John W. Campbell Award for Best New Science Fiction Writer".

S3.10.2

"Science Fiction" deleted in 1994. Ratified in 1994

Hugo Awards: Ballots

2000-03

3.10.1: Final Award voting shall be by mail, with ballots sent only to WSFS members. Only WSFS members may vote. Final Award ballots shall include name, signature, address, and membership-number spaces to be filled in by the voter.

S3.10.1

"Postal mail shall always be acceptable." inserted in 2001 and ratified.

Hugo Awards: Categories

1980-08

Moved, to amend Article II of the WSFS Constitution by adding the following new section:
Best Non-Fiction Book: Any non-fictional work relating to the field of science fiction or fantasy appearing for the first time in book form during the previous calendar year.

S3.3.5

Ratified in 1981

Hugo Awards: Categories

1980-11

Moved, to amend Article II, Section 9 of the WSFS Constitution by inserting after "additional criteria" the following:
except that publications shall not be considered if a financial remuneration is paid to any contributors or staff thereof.

Committed to committee in 1980 (with 1980-13); new motions reported (1980-25 - 1980-27).

Hugo Awards: Categories

1980-12

Moved, to amend the WSFS Constitution by deleting Article II, Section 6. (It eliminates the Dramatic Presentation Hugo.)

OTC in 1980

Hugo Awards: Categories

1980-13

Moved, to amend Article II of the WSFS Constitution by deleting Sections 8 and 9, and inserting the following in place thereof:
Section 7: Best Professional Magazine. Any periodical devoted to science fiction and/or fantasy published during the previous year, produced primarily by persons for whom it is the main source of income.
Section 8: Best Amateur Magazine. Any periodical devoted to science fiction and/or fantasy published during the previous year, produced primarily by persons for whom it is not the main source of income.
Section 9: Best Non-Periodical Editor. Any person engaged in the editing of science fiction for non-periodical publication (editors of annual anthologies shall be eligible).
(It renames and redefines the Best Fanzine Hugo category, eliminates the Best Professional Editor Hugo category, and in its place creates two new Hugos: Best Professional magazine and Best Non-Periodical Editor.)

Hugo Awards: Categories

1980-17

MOVED, to amend Article II of the WSFS Constitution by adding the following new section:
Best Game: Any game or simulation relating to the field of science fiction or fantasy appearing for the first time during the previous calendar year.

OTC in 1980

Hugo Awards: Categories

1980-25

2. Best Non-Periodical Editor: Any person engaged in the editing of science fiction for non-periodical publication (editors of annual anthologies shall be eligible).

Defeated in 1980

Hugo Awards: Categories

1980-26

MOVED, to amend Article II, Section 9, by deleting all of the first sentence after "which has published" and replacing with the words "two (2) or more issues which appeared in the previous calendar year."

Defeated in 1981

Hugo Awards: Categories

1980-27

OR MOVED, to amend Article II, Section 9, by adding at the end of the section the words "except that publications shall not be considered unless they are edited primarily by persons for whom it is not the main source of income".

Both defeated in 1980

Hugo Awards: Categories

1982-05

If this amendment is accepted it will necessitate minor revisions in the wording of the "Best Fan Writer" and "Best Fan Artist" categories.

Rejected in 1982

Hugo Awards: Categories

1982-06

MOVED, to amend the WSFS Constitution by deleting Article II, Section 10 "Best Fanzine", and in Sections 11 and 12 replacing the phrase "magazines of the type defined in Section 10 above" with "any generally available fannish publication devoted to science fiction, fantasy, or related subjects".

OTC in 1982

Hugo Awards: Categories

1982-08

MOVED, to amend the WSFS Constitution by deleting Article II, Section 6. (to eliminate the Best Non-Fiction Book Hugo)

Defeated in 1982

Hugo Awards: Categories

1982-09

MOVED, to amend the WSFS Constitution by deleting Article II, Section 7. (to eliminate the Best Dramatic Presentation Hugo.)

OTC in 1982

Hugo Awards: Categories

1982-10

Best Non-Periodical Editor: Any person engaged in the editing of science fiction and/or fantasy for non-periodical publication (editors of anthology series shall be eligible).

OTC in 1982

Hugo Awards: Categories

1982-12

(9) Amend Article II, Section 12, to read:
Best Fan Artist: An artist or cartoonist whose work has appeared through publication in semiprozines or fanzines or through other public display. Any person whose name appears on the final Hugo Awards ballot ... eligible in the Fan Artist category for that year.

See below for texts passed on (1982-18, 1982-19 and 1982-20)

Hugo Awards: Categories

1982-14

and inserting in Section 10 (Best Fanzine) at the end of the first sentence "whose highest. circulation for the year is under 1000" and striking the second sentence.

Rejected in 1982

Hugo Awards: Categories

1982-15

MOVED, to amend the WSFS Constitution by deleting Article II, Sections 10, 11 and 12. [I.e. to eliminate the Fanzine, Fan Writer and Fan Artist categories.]

Rejected in 1982

Hugo Awards: Categories

1982-18

B. In Sections 11 and 12 of Article II, change "in magazines of the type defined in Section 10 above" to "in semiprozines or fanzines". In Section 12, also change "final Awards ballot" to "final Hugo Awards ballot" and change "for the Fan Artist Award" to "in the Fan Artist category".

S3.3.12

Ratified in 1983

Hugo Awards: Categories

1982-19

An author may withdraw a version of her or his work from consideration if she or he feels that that version is not representative of what she or he wrote.

S3.2.5

Ratified in 1983

Hugo Awards: Categories

1982-20

Best Novel: A story of forty thousand (40,000) words or more appearing for the first time during the previous calendar year in English.. A work originally appearing in a language other than English shall also be eligible in the year it was first issued in that language, provided such publication precedes the English-language publication.

Defeated in 1983

Hugo Awards: Categories

1985-04

Moved: "That the Science Fiction Achievement Awards known as the Hugo Awards be extended to include an award for Best Children’s Novella and an award for Best Dramatic Presentation for Children."

substituted by a resolution: "It is the sense of the business meeting that a Con committee (1986 or 1987) should strongly consider as their Special Hugo a Children's Hugo": passed in 1985

Hugo Awards: Categories

1986-01

Section 22: Special Exclusion: Except for those categories which recognize a single titled work, an individual or publication may not be nominated for any category for which that individual or publication received the Hugo the previous year

OTC in 1986

Hugo Awards: Categories

1986-02

Section 10: Best Interior Illustration: Any illustration appearing within the pages of a book or magazine dealing with science fiction or fantasy appearing for the first time within the previous calendar year.

OTC in 1986

Hugo Awards: Categories

1986-10

MOVED, to amend Article II, Section 6 of the WSFS Constitution by striking out "relating to" and substituting "whose subject is", and by inserting "or fandom" after fantasy. The Section would now read:
"Best Non-Fiction Book: Any non-fictional work whose subject is the field of science fiction or fantasy or fandom appearing for the first time in book form during the previous calendar year."

S3.3.5

Ratified in 1987

Hugo Awards: Categories

1989-01

MOVED, to amend the WSFS Constitution by adding a new section after Fan Hugos in Article II as follows:
Outstanding Service. Any person, of small group of four people or less, whose efforts or activities in the previous calendar year materially benefited the enjoyment or appreciation of science fiction, fantasy or related subjects.
This award shall not be given for any work eligible for a literary, dramatic or artistic Hugo (Sections 2 through 13), for the contribution, granting or raising of funds, or for service as the Chair or Co-Chair of the Worldcon or NASFiC in that year. However, it may be given for work in a lesser position at the Worldcon or NASFiC.

Defeated in 1989

Hugo Awards: Categories

1989-03

Moved, to amend the WSFS Constitution by adding a new section in Article II as follows:
Ineligible Materials. A book, story, dramatic presentation, or anything else that is otherwise ineligible for a Hugo in that year.

OTC in 1989

Hugo Awards: Categories

1989-06

To amend Article II, Section 6 of the WSFS Constitution by adding the words "science or natural philosophy or" before the words "science fiction".

Defeated in 1989

Hugo Awards: Categories

1989-07

Moved: Delete Article II, Section 9 and replace with the following sections:
Section 9: Best Book Cover: An illustration used as a cover on a Science Fiction or Fantasy novel, anthology, or collection.
Section 10: Best Magazine Cover: An illustration used as a cover of a professional magazine as defined in Article II, Section 8.
Section 11: Best Interior Illustration: An illustration from the interior of any Science Fiction or Fantasy novel, anthology, or collection, or a professional magazine as defined in Article II, Section 8.

Amended by substituting a category "Best Science Fiction Art Work". Changed to a resolution requesting a future Worldcon choose to do this as a special Hugo; adopted in 1989

Hugo Awards: Categories

1989-08

Moved, To amend Article II, Section Two (Hugo Awards) Best Novel, to split the novel category into a) Best Science Fiction Novel and b) Best Fantasy Novel.

OTC in 1989

Hugo Awards: Categories

1990-02

MOVED, to amend the WSFS constitution by replacing Article II by the following:
Each Worldcon shall arrange for the award and presentation of one or more Science Fiction Achievement Awards (Hugos), in a manner consistent with the tradition and dignity of the award.

OTC in 1990

Hugo Awards: Categories

1990-03

MOVED to amend Article II, by adding a new section:
Any original piece of artwork first published during the previous calendar year. It may have been published as a book cover or interior illustration, or in a prozine, semiprozine or fanzine which would be eligible for a Hugo. The artist may be either an amateur or a professional.

S3.3

Ratified in 1991

Hugo Awards: Categories

1990-04

Secret Master of Fandom: An individual or closely associated team of individuals, for recognition of lifetime non-professional achievement in the field of science fiction or fantasy. No person shall be eligible for nomination in this category if they have won this award in any of the previous twenty (20) years or if they are being specially honored by the Worldcon administering the awards.

Motion divided. Both parts defeated in 1990.

Hugo Awards: Categories

1991-01

MOVED, to amend the WSFS Constitution by adding a section to Article 2:
"Life Hugo for Non-English Language Writing: An individual for recognition of lifetime achievement in the field of science fiction or fantasy as a writer in one or more languages other than English. No person shall be eligible for nomination in this category who has previously won this award. (It is intended that fiction, non-fiction, and fan writing all be eligible areas of achievement.)"

OTC in 1991

Hugo Awards: Categories

1991-13

MOVED, to amend Article 2 Section 12 by adding the words "or in generally available electronic media" at the end of the section.

S3.3.11

Ratified in 1992

Hugo Awards: Categories

1991-14

MOVED to amend the WSFS Constitution as follows:
(1) Replace Article 2 Section 11 with:
"Best Fanzine: Any generally available non-professional publication in any medium or form or any combination of media or forms devoted to science fiction, fantasy, or related subjects which meets the following criteria shall be considered for an award: (1) has published at least 4 or more issues, at least 1 of which appeared in the previous calendar year, (2) has continuity as to title, (3) has each issue contain a volume number or issue number, assigned by the publisher where said numbering continues in regular sequence, (4) does not, either singly or when successive issues are put together, constitute a work which would be eligible for an award under Article 2 Sections 2-5 or Section 10, (5) has some editorial control over content and format, and (6) provides a postal address, telephone number, or alternative method of contact for requesting of information or subscriptions."
(2) Replace the words "non-professional publication" in Article 2 Section 10 with "non-professional publication in any medium or form or any combination of media or forms that meets the criteria in Article 2 Section 11".
(3) Replace the words "press run" in Section 10 with "circulation".
(4) Replace the last line of Article 2 Section 8 with:
"A professional publication is any publication in the science fiction or fantasy genres, in any medium or form or combination of media or forms, which appeared in the previous calendar year, has a circulation of at least 10,000 copies, and paid its contributors and/or staff in other than copies of the publication."

OTC in 1991

Hugo Awards: Categories

1992-06

MOVED, to add to Section 2.2.12 of the WSFS Constitution (Best Fan Writer) the words "during the previous calendar year".

S3.3.11

Ratified in 1993.

Hugo Awards: Categories

1994-01

2.2.15: Lifetime Achievement. Should a person or publication receive a Hugo Award in the same category in five (5) consecutive years, the fifth Hugo shall be considered a Lifetime Achievement Hugo Award in that category and that person or publication shall thereafter be ineligible to receive an award in that category for the next five (5) years.

Hugo Awards: Categories

1994-11

[MOVED, to] add to the end of Section 5.3 [of the WSFS Constitution]:
No amendment shall be in order which increases the total number of Hugo Awards.

OTC in 1994

Hugo Awards: Categories

1994-12

MOVED, to delete Section 2.2 of the WSFS Constitution and replace it with:
Section 2.2: Number of Awards. Each Worldcon Committee shall award eight Hugos in categories related to the genre of Science Fiction.
and [to] append to Section 2.6:
The Worldcon Committee may place more than the maximum number of categories [on the nomination ballot]; however[,] only the categories that received the most nominations shall be on the final ballot.

OTC in 1994

Hugo Awards: Categories

1994-13

MOVED, to replace Section 2.1 of the WSFS Constitution with:
Section 2.1: Introduction. Each Worldcon shall award ten (10) Hugos in categories related to Science Fiction as provided in this article.
[to] delete Sections 2.2.5 through 2.2.14[, and to] add:
2.2.5: Additional Categories. Additional categories shall be placed in nomination by the current Worldcon Committee to bring the number of awards up to at least {to} the number of Hugos to be awarded. If more than the maximum number of {the} awards are proposed on the nominating ballot, only those additional categories receiving the most nominations shall be placed on the final ballot.

OTC in 1994

Hugo Awards: Categories

1994-15

MOVED, to amend the WSFS Constitution by adding a new subsection to Section 2.2, as follows:
2.2.x: Best Musical Work. Any musical work incorporating or associated with a science, science fiction, fantasy, or fannish theme or story, and incorporating significant original content, such as lyrics, tunes, or arrangement. A musical work may be a song, an album, or a soundtrack. A work shall be eligible in the year following the calendar year of first professional distribution, defined as commercial or public radio or television airplay, use in a theatrically released movie or rentable video, or release of a recording or songbook with at least five thousand (5,000) copies. Any musical work {being} first distributed through amateur channels{,} shall be eligible in the second calendar year following its first appearance. A work can thus be eligible at most twice, once in amateur distribution and once professionally, but only if amateur eligibility occurs in an earlier year than professional eligibility. Appearance refers to performance in its eligible form, printing in a songbook or fanzine, or release of a recording, whichever shall occur first. If the first appearance or airplay occurs outside the English-speaking world, then the first appearance or airplay in the English-speaking world shall apply. An author may withdraw a version of the work from consideration, if that work is performed or edited by someone else, and the author feels that it does not convey their original intent, without prejudice to future eligibility of another version.

Hugo Awards: Categories

1994-16