Interestingly, straight ahead voting raises so many questions that we have been forced to ponder our own outcome so far. The central issue is that a totally democratic vote tends to reflect the will of the people, but not the will of many of the people who value subtlety, complexity or perhaps just a more alternative take. Perhaps this is why our founding fathers created the (so we thought) ridiculous electoral college to guard against the will of the people running wild.
You see the problem?
Other issues involve people who had their submissions put up earlier and who seem to have garnered more votes. For this issue we say "Then why didn't you get yours in earlier!" and consulted with our resident statistical genius, SiteGeek. This is what he says:
someone commented in the east coast top 6 thread that people are more likely to win if they've been posted longer. i took a look at that. the avg score is hardly correlated at all with age of the entry. they aren't more likely to win if they're older.
I've been wondering if the judges looked at percentages or total votes -- for example if only 100 people voted on a later entry, but 90 of them all just loved it, how does that score against an entry with 200 votes where 100 loved it but 100 sent it hate?
Or did I miss this discussion? I've been preoccupied.
I don't know about other people's entries, but mine has consistantly stayed at 2 x love = feh, 2 x feh = yuck... I haven't sent out a mass email or gotten my friends to email their friends, and I guess if I'd had more time, I would have had time to do that... Still, while the numbers have gone up, they've stayed pretty even for me...
Has anyone else in the contest noticed the same trend on their entry?
I personally would have done it by weighting answers - blue ribbon = +2, red ribbon = +1, and yellow ribbon either 0 or -1. I think the way people voted both reflected how long they had, and how they felt over time - I know that I was a lot less free and easy with my blue ribbon votes as time went on.
I might scrap the votes altogether and ask people to vote again, actually... it wasn't clear what your vote meant until late.
(This obviously doesn't affect me or my entry one way or another as I was, deservedly, of little vote significance and smaller blue ribbon count either way... I'm just having my statistical geek side come out here...)
Aargh. I just looked at the West Coast voting tallies this morning, and damn is my room taking a spanking!
C'mon y'all, where my peeps at? Am I destined to be the Susan Lucci of Apartment Therapy? Do you really want to see me wandering down Hollywood Blvd a broken person in a tattered Nolan Miller gown, mascara-and-tear-streaked face, botoxed lips--sadly clutching my still-unused acceptance speech. (Think Norma Desmond as channeled by Courtney Love.) Do you want to see that? Well, do you? Do you?!? Then vote Enrique.
It doesn't matter matter if you like my room the best or not. Didn't we used to matter, you and I? Didn't I buy you chocolates when you were sad? Didn't I make you laugh? Didn't I give you a puppy? No? Well, um, vote for me anyway...
Judging by the rankings, I can kiss goodbye my weeks-long dream of a CB2 Arch Lamp and a set of 8 modern cordials (a steal at $1.50 each). But I can still win a Petal NY Soap and Bath gift set... maybe. Please, don't let me hear the dreaded words "No soap for you!" Vote for Enrique. I will walk your dog, kiss your babies, do your dishes, give you my unused frequent flyer miles, buy you blue diamonds. My fate is in your hands. And I will not go quietly.
[And... scene.]
Enrique, I think I am president of your fan club. Love your posts and love your decorating, too.
I have to say that I found this contest almost overwhelming because of the sheer number of entrants. Does anyone else feel this way? It's like I couldn't keep up, and I certainly DID neglect the later entrants, especially since they all came in a tidal wave.
Enrique, that just made me laugh so much, I'm voting for you immediately, for all the good times we never had.
Dignity is so overrated, innit? ;D
I wasn't really overwhelmed. I have a couple of favorites and voted accordingly. All other entrants were compared to those 2 that I liked. Also, style is going to be a determining factor for most of us. I may have liked the colors used in a room but if I didn't like the style they didn't get my vote. One of my favs ended up on the finalists list and the other didn't.
(Go Torquoise!)
Enrique, I voted for you also, even before your hysterical begging ;)
I voted for enrique before his hysterical begging, too. But it might have felt more fun to have done it afterward.
Enrique, I voted for you pre-begging. But my heart is not stone - let me demonstrate my culture as a true Philadelphian and commit voter fraud to vote for you again! *runs off to find a new computer*
I have neglected the later entries... heck, I haven't been around in the last week or so. Today is the first day I'm seeing some of them.
I'm not in love with the current front-runner: there's nothing difficult or innovative about a monochromatic-on-neutral greenish-blue bathroom. The execution is very good, though. The use of color is similar to what Enrique did, though the colors themselves are different; I like Enrique's room better, possibly because it has many more elements and that great photomural.
Jon's space is the most similar to a better-realized version of my own; I like the luxury of Turquoise's entry; Enrique and Curtis have my heart; I'm not sure who I WILL vote for yet, though the begging is endearing. :)
Aw... that's so sweet. I love pity votes--because they come from the heart. And, Josie, did you know that every time you commit voter fraud, an angel gets its wings? It's true! Bless. :D Keep throwing your fraudulent pity votes my way. I'm not proud. Miranda, can you be bought? Did you know that TWO angels get their wings when you give late pity votes? Also true!