http://blog.payperpost.com/?utm_source=opportunity&utm_medium=disclosure%2Bbadge
I normally post once a day, but this is a special nighttime post regarding the Bloggers Choice Awards. I am in shock to say I have been the victim of voting “irregularities.” I am not claiming fraud as of this moment, but I have had between 1/2 and 1/3 of my votes taken away. Even my own vote was taken away.
I have sent emails to people at
When the contest was supposed to have ended, I was in the top 3 in the political category, with Daily Kos being 4th. They had 467 votes, so I had more (the top 3 were blocked out to create excitement, which is fine). yet I noticed some people were able to add votes even today, well after the deadline. I did not mind, because even the additional votes Daily Kos got left them at 471, below me.
Yet tonight, after refreshing the screen, my total had dropped from over 471 (again, blocked out) to only 351, putting me back in 4th place. I tried to add my own vote again, and the BCA system would not allow it.
I checked every vote to see who was missing, and it seems that my coworkers, family, and even me, were deleted. I am speculating that because my coworkers are in the same building, it treated their votes as fraud. Some of my coworkers came to my computer to vote. However, they are real people who supported me. This was honest.
My parents voted at the same computer because they only have one computer. Their votes were eliminated.
I wrote an email to Angry Harry and Feministing, my main competitors. I want to make it clear I have no gripes with them. They have quality sites. If anything, I want to make sure they are not victimized either. I cced [email protected] and [email protected] in my email. I also contacted Ted Murphy at Payperpost, which is running Postiecon and the BCA. Here is my email.
"Angry Harry/Feministing, These comments are not meant for posting, but you can if you want. They are meant for you personally. I am Eric, and my blog is The Tygrrrr Express. I competed against both of you in the Bloggers Choice Awards. We were the top 3. If I had to guess, I think I came in 2nd, possibly edging out Feministing, but not sure I passed Angry Harry. The Daily Kos was 4th. Out of nowhere tonight, between 100 and 300 votes of mine were taken away. I am now back in 4th. This is due to a glitch in the Postiecon system. Many people who voted for me are my coworkers, and their votes were thrown out because we work in the same office, and I guess the system thought fraud was at work. Also, many of my close friends voted for me from my computer when they came to my home to watch football. My parents had their votes thrown out because the house has only one computer. My vote for myself was thrown out. This is not sour grapes. I just feel that if these votes are not counted, the results could be tarnished. I think you both have great sites, and your success is deserved. Again, I am not saying I won. I am saying I was absolutely in the top 3, and am now down to 4th, with well over 100 votes (and maybe 300) subtracted from my total. I have contacted Postiecon about this problem, and you both should check your own votes to see if any are missing. This is not life or death, but it does matter from an integrity standpoint. Respectfully, eric aka blacktygrrrr.wordpress.com"
I want to make it clear that I am not Al Gore. I have actual proof, aka hard evidence, that votes of mine were taken away. I just want this to be looked into, and I do not trust that email contact will work. I need to get a live person on the telephone, and these companies do not post their phone numbers.
Ted Murphy is the head sled in charge of all of this. I hope he looks into this.
I do not mind losing. I mind being cheated. I am not positive that I won. However, I am positive I was in the top 3, not 4th.
The purpose of winning this contest was to gain exposure to my blog. I will get that no matter what because I write well. Now I just need to get the bitter taste out of my mouth knowing that my hard work can be invalidated by a computer malfunction.
No wonder people get disenfranchised. How can we count 100 million votes if we cannot even count a few hundred.
eric
I think the next question would be if the kos sufferd the same irregularities.
Seeing how they are such a huge conglomerate, I’m sure a lot of them used the same computers.
i noticed that in the rules it said that they were watching IP addresses and it said nothing about individuals on the same computer.
OK heres some real b.s. I just found out.
I just went there to check on my account.
Yesterday it showed that I voted for you once in all 4 categories. That would be a total of 4 votes. It displayed testerday that I voted 4 times.
Now (today) it shows that I only placed 3 votes.
My wife voted for you once in one category(before she knew there was 4 categories for you)
It looks like they took one vote from my total to compensate for the extra vote that came from this(my) computer.
Maybe voters choice is as scared of the kos as the DNC is.
My votes = 4
My wifes =1
Total = 5
So how do they come up with 3 ?
I agree with Micky2–sounds like Kos got their panties in a bunch that an “upstart” quality blogger with less than a year blogging could outdo their filth.
But you know what? Those of us that know you and your writing? WE KNOW you’re the true winner…the whole situation just smells of Kos slime to me.
What do you expect out of a lefty organization, honesty?
I think the whole thing is silly. But atleast, Eric, you write original material. I admire original material…look at all of the people who cut and paste other people’s work, sometimes without so much as a notation (I’m not asking for footnotes). Other blogs seems to spend their day combing the Internet for stories to post and then a one-line, “well I agree.” The a whole bunch of others are seemingly into children’s “breakfast cereals.” Its like a sand box out there, Eric. Go for quality, not quantity.
Eric,
Don’t let up on them, you need to blog about the irregularities and have the people in your blog roll bring it up, let the whole internet know….sunlight the best disinfectant.
Is mine still in there? (I can’t stand that site, by the way – with all the glitching and such)
JMJ
I’m not too familiar with all the makings of a huge blog like KOS.
And I dont want too seem too unimaginative here.
But I cant help thinking that the results of this election would have a lot to do with someone getting sponsorship or not.
If tahts the case then I would only suspect that theres money involved .
I cant swallow the glitch thing. Anyone who knows me wouldnt be surprised that I think like that , but I just cant help but smell a rat when I put it all together.
Eric, I certainly hope justice is done, but I know your character is top notch. When I asked you if a person can vote more than once (I was unsure of the rules) your reply was one of integrity and honesty. You certainly are no algore – if you were, you wouldn’t have gotten my vote. Blessings to you as you try to correct this injustice.
All…I rarely leave my own comments here, but did not want to do a whole new column about it. When I went to the site today, all the votes from EVERYBODY were gone. The 2008 campaign has now begun, and a bunch of people are tied for first place with 1 vote. I refuse to be a perpetual campaigner, so while I have 12 months to win next year, I will wait 8 months, and then see how the landscape looks. If I have a shot at winning, I will reenter again.
I do not expect this error to be corrected, and now I do not even know what place I finished in.
I still believe this was a computer glitch and not a conspiracy, but that does not make it any better.
Anyway, back to blogging, results be d@mned.
eric
[…] http://blacktygrrrr.wordpress.com/2007/10/21/voting-irregularities-at-the-bloggers-choice-awards/ (other news) […]
Bummer, I don’t think they’ll correct it either.
You get a prize anyway — your readers.
Eric? This is absolutely UNACCEPTABLE!
I saw you in the top three and at one time you were AT THE TOP!!
I winder who the folks are that decided to knock you down a peg or two.
Your readers, including me, know you won.
Keep up the good fight, brother!
I wonder if the Florida votes will decide the winner, again. That Bush state is at it again?
All,
Here is another update. The Postiecon people are taking away any votes that were added after the deadline, which is good. Now all I need to do is find out if the votes that were subtracted from my total were added back. That I cannot seem to find out. I was in the top 3 at the deadline, but was listed in 4th a day later, with many votes taken away.
Here is the statement from the people putting this on.
“As planned, the 2007 Blogger’s Choice Awards winners where selected last Friday, Oct. 19 at midnight. The actual winners will be revealed at the BCA VIP Party at Tao in Las Vegas on Nov. 10.
You may have noticed that the BCA site was continuing to accept votes over the weekend, even though voting had officially ended. We apologize for any confusion this may have caused. Later this morning the 2007 top 3 nominees in each category will be posted on the site for all to see. In addition, all votes will be zeroed out and 2008 voting will officially begin. These changes should have happened in unison at midnight on Oct. 19, but we ran into some issues that prevented that from happening.
It’s important for everyone to understand that the official 2007 winners were selected at midnight on Oct. 19 as planned. Any and all voting over the weekend will not impact these results.”
Posted by Shaun Pope at 09:54 AM in Blogger’s Choice Awards
I am not listed in the top 3. Time to raise holy hell.
eric
what would you like or suggest we do .
None of that explains how they got 3 votes out my 5.
All my votes were in on time, 1 from my wife and 4 from me, take away i because of identical IP address, it still gives you 4 coming from me.
The Lone Gunmen have struck again.
[…] http://blacktygrrrr.wordpress.com/2007/10/21/voting-irregularities-at-the-bloggers-choice-awards/ […]
That sucks man. I enjoy this site so much and I really hope no foul play was involved.
I don’t know anything about KOS but there are reasons for everything. So while KOS may be on the good end of the stick, it could not be their fault an awards organization is rigged for more popularity (never happens…).
Much luck to ya.
Joe