What is GUFF? GUFF was created in 1979. Known as the Get Up-and-over Fan Fund or the Going Under Fan Fund, depending on which direction it’s running, GUFF exists to provide funds to enable well-known fans from Australasia and Europe to visit each other’s national (or other) conventions and get to know each other’s fandoms better. GUFF, like other fan funds, exists solely through the support of fandom. The candidates for each trip are voted on by interested fans, and each vote is accompanied by a monetary donation. These votes, and the continuing generosity of fandom through auctions and other donations, are what make GUFF possible.
Who may vote?
Voting in the race to send an Australasian fan to Worldcon 75, the 75th World Science Fiction Convention (in Helsinki, Finland, 9–13 August 2017), is open to anyone who was active in fandom prior to January 2015, and who contributes at least GBP6, EUR7, AUD10, NZD10 (or the equivalent in other currencies) to the fund. Larger contributions are encouraged and will be gratefully accepted. Only one vote per person is allowed. You must sign or otherwise verify your ballot, but your vote will not be made public.
Voting Details
GUFF uses a preferential ballot system, which guarantees automatic runoffs until a majority is obtained. You rank the candidates in order of your preference. If the leading first-place candidate does not have a majority of votes after the first round of counting, the first-place votes for the lowest-placed candidate are discarded, and the second-place votes on those ballots are counted as first-place votes for the candidates concerned. This process is repeated until one candidate has a majority of all the votes cast. Votes for second and third place candidates are therefore important, but you may not rank any candidate in more than one position on your ballot.
Hold Over Funds. This choice, like ‘No award’ in award balloting, gives you the chance to vote for no GUFF trip in 2017 if for any reason the candidates do not appeal. Hold over funds may be voted for in any position on the ballot.
No Preference. This choice is for voters who do not wish the GUFF trip to be held over, but who either cannot or prefer not to decide between the candidates.
Donations
GUFF gratefully accepts your freely given money and material for auction. If you’re not eligible to vote, or for some reason you don’t wish to vote, why not donate anyway?
Candidates
Each candidate has posted a bond of AUD 25; promised that barring force majeure they will travel to Worldcon 75 in Helsinki, Finland (http://www.worldcon.fi/) if elected; and provided nominations and a short platform displayed overleaf extolling their many interests and virtues.
How to cast your vote
You can vote online on this page or complete and send this ballot form (PDF) to an administrator: Mihaela-Marija Perković, Maksimirska 100d, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
or Jean Weber, 544 Carlyle Gardens, Beck Drive North, Condon QLD 4815, Australia
Votes are not valid unless accompanied by a contribution of at least GBP6, EUR7, AUD10, NZD10, or an equivalent amount in other currencies. You can pay by Paypal, credit card, cheque, money order, or bank deposit. See the voting page for instructions.
Voting ends Monday 17 April 2017 23:59 GMT
About the candidates
Donna Maree Hanson
My first SF con was Convergence in Melbourne, 2002. Over excited by my dip into fandom, I chaired Conflux, the 43rd Natcon, Conflux 2 and later co-chaired, Conflux 9, the 52nd Natcon. I’m inspired by GUFF delegate Jukka Halme to get over to Helsinki and also my love of the UK to visit fans there. Fandom changed my life! It has people who like SF, books and authors. I was weaned on Lost in Space, Dr Who, Star Trek, Thunderbirds, UFO and Blake 7. As the GUFF delegate, I want to hang out with European and British fen and experience their fandom.
Nominators: Australasia – Julian Warner, Dave Cake, Rose Mitchell
Europe – Patrick McMurray, Ben Roimola
Sam Hawke
I’m a fantasy writer (my first book comes out through Tor in 2018) and like many SFF fans, I tend toward shyness. But once comfortable I’m like one of those annoying tins with the sprung streamers you had as a kid: there’s no putting me back in. 2 ciders/1 Discworld argument in and I’ll be challenging you to a ‘recite the entire Princess Bride from memory’ contest or arguing my choice of Doctor (10, obviously). Send me to Helsinki so I can connect in person with fans from around the world, and uphold Australia’s honour in the 3-timtams-in-a-minute contest!
Nominators: Australasia – Rob Porteous, Tim Napper, Leife Shallcross
Europe – Natasja Frederiksen, Sini Neuvonen
Belle McQuattie
I am a reader, reviewer, Aurealis Awards judge and Continuum 13 committee member. I have a particular passion for Australian fantasy and would love to share it with new friends at WorldCon. I would also like to meet fans at Nine Worlds and in Croatia before/after WorldCon, and experience the unique flavours each of the three regions brings to fandom. Reconnecting with the wider fandom is the best decision I’ve made this year and I’m very much looking forward to all the new experiences waiting for me. I can be found @theresaninkspot
Nominators: Australasia – Tole Canal, Tehani Croft, Katharine Stubbs
Europe – James Shields, Vanja Kranjcevic
Alexandra Pierce
I’ve been consuming science fiction and fantasy for as long as I can remember; watching Doctor Who as a child saved me from some dire 80s TV. My fandom has taken many forms over the decade, including writing reviews (www.randomalex.net) and attending conventions. A conversation about the dearth of female and Australian SFF podcasts led to the Hugo-winning Galactic Suburbia; a love of feminist SF led to editing the award-winning Letters to Tiptree. I am super excited about connecting with fans from around the world!
Nominators: Australasia – PRK, Gene Melzack, and Damien Warman and Juliette Woods
Europe – Cheryl Morgan and Irma Hirsjärvi