Awards Changes

 

Ann Bannon Voting Process
(Effective for 2027 Awards)

In order to more equally weight the two phases of Ann Bannon Award voting (scoring from genre judges and popular vote), the voting process changed in the 2026 season. The intention of this change was to shift more focus back to the popular vote and also to highlight the excellence in all genre categories.

Any genre category finalist who elected to be included in the Ann Bannon voting will be included in a first round of popular voting. This round will now include the top 25% of all genre category nominees as determined by the judges.

First round ranked-choice voting will take place from April 17th, 2027 through April 23rd, 2027. The top 10 vote getters in the first round will be considered finalists for the Ann Bannon Award.

A second round of ranked-choice voting, comprising only those 10 finalists, will take place from April 24th, 2027 through May 1st, 2027.

The three winners will be announced during the Goldie Awards ceremony on July 10th, 2027 at the Annual Conference in Portland, Oregon.

 

Eligibility for Awards
(Effective for 2025 Awards)

Audiobooks, books, and covers created by generative aritifical intelligence (AI) are ineligible for a Goldie Award. AI-assisted books and covers are eligible. Nominators must certify agreement with these requirements:

  • Audiobooks: Nominated audiobooks must be narrated by humans to be eligible for an Audiobook Narrator Award. Audiobooks voiced by AI technologies are not eligible.
  • Books: Nominated books must be written by humans to be eligible for the genre category, Debut Novel, and Ann Bannon awards. AI-assisted books are eligible, by AI-generated books (including those translated into English by AI-driven tools) are not eligible. For submission purposes:
    • AI-generated content is defined as text created entirely or in part by AI technologies (e.g., ChatGPT, Jasper, Sudowrite), even if the machine-generated text is later edited, enhanced, or otherwise revised by humans.
    • AI-assisted content is defined as text created by humans who use AI technologies collaboratively as aids in the creative process (to check grammar and spelling, suggest synonyms and alternative phrasing, etc).
  • Covers: Nominated covers must be designed and crafted by humans to be eligible for the Tee Corrine Award. Covers crafted exclusively by humans or human collaboration with AI-assisted design tools (to remove a background, cut and paste objects from a photo, etc.) are elgible. Covers crafted by generative AI are not eligible.

 

 

Previous changes to the awards program can be found HERE.

 

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