"Even though we had the rules listed on the AOM page, we were not specific to how the AOY would be voted. This has been updated." In fact, you made it specific when you posted the poll, encouraged people to vote, and allowed the poll to stay up for 3 days until it looked like Legume might win. "I apologize to everyone for how this year's AOY has been handled." As you should--it was stunningly incompetent at best, and created the appearance, at the very least, of blatant bias (not to mention possible fraud). You especially owe an apology to the AOY finalists, who had every reason to expect a fair and competently conducted vote--which, of course, they didn't get. You also owe the customer-members in general and the finalists in particular a fair and equitable solution--just saying "oops" doesn't do it, in my view--neither does saying "it's all okay now, the staff will handle it." I have no reason to think the mods/admins can render an unbiased decision regarding the AOY, when it's clear that some of them have issues with a few of the more outspoken member-customers (i.e., the bitchers and derailers). I know, I know--shut up and go back to your paint-by-numbers set, Mosca.