The
Locus Awards are presented to winners of
Locus Magazine's annual readers' poll, which was established in the early '70s specifically to provide recommendations and suggestions to Hugo Awards voters. For many years the Locus Awards often drew more voters than the Hugos and Nebulas combined, though this has not been true since at least 2009. In recent years Locus Awards are presented at an annual banquet, and unlike any other award, explicitly honor publishers of winning works with certificates.
Scope
Science fiction, fantasy, and horror novels, short fiction, collections, anthologies, nonfiction, artists, editors, magazines, and publishers.
What
A plaque or certificate. Publishers of winning works are presented with certificates.
Process
Readers make up to five ranked nominations per category; votes are tabulated according to the 'Carr' system, awarding a first-place vote 8 points, second-place vote 7 points, etc. The leader in each category is declared the winner. Beginning 2005, the top five finishers in each category were revealed as 'finalists' prior to announcement of the winners at a public event.
Comments
Published results of each year's poll include, for each item, the total number of votes, the number of first place votes, and the number of total points as determined by the system described above. The order of finish is based on the total points. Only the order of finish is indicated in this database.