[From an announcement from Glasgow 2024 posted July 25, 2024]

Glasgow 2024 has announced an innovative consultative vote on a proposed change to the Hugo Award categories. This proposed change, initially passed by the 2023 WSFS Business Meeting in Chengdu, would create two new Hugo Award categories, the Best Independent Short Film Award and the Best Independent Feature Film Award. This change would have to be ratified by the 2024 WSFS Business Meeting in Glasgow to take effect, with the first Hugo Awards in these categories being given out at the 2024 Worldcon in Seattle, USA.

All individuals holding WSFS Memberships have been invited to express their views on this proposal. The results of the consultative vote are not binding but are expected to inform the 2024 Business Meeting’s debate and decision.

Details of the consultative vote can be found on the Glasgow 2024 website.

Announcing the vote, WSFS Division Head Nicholas Whyte said “Among the many potential reforms to WSFS Business Meeting procedures, putting proposals and other matters to a vote of WSFS members is an innovation that has often been mentioned, but has not previously made it beyond the idea stage. We therefore propose to test the operation of a consultative vote, to explore if and how such a procedure could become part of the permanent rules. Glasgow 2024’s core values are to be caring, inclusive and imaginative as a convention. The consultative vote is imaginative, in that it has not been done before; it demonstrates that we care about our members’ opinions; and it will be more inclusive than a physical meeting can ever be. We also note that we are not exercising the option of a special Hugo category this year; the consultative vote is our contribution to the ongoing development of the awards.”