The Race2004 "Predict the Winning Map" Rules

The rules for the contest are as follows:

  1. All entries must be made via www.race2004.net/entercontest.php. No entries will be accepted by e-mail.
  2. All entries must be received by Monday, November 1 at 11:59pm Eastern (GMT-5).
  3. Players may only enter the contest once. Any player found to submit more than one entry will have all of his/her entries disqualified.
  4. Players will not be able to revise or change their entries. One submitted, the entry will remain intact for the duration of the contest. No amount of begging or pleading will change this fact.
  5. The contest is open to anyone, anywhere in the world.
  6. Members and relatives of Race2004 staff may play but are inelgible to win. Similarly, "fun entries" like CNN, Zogby, Rasmussen, psychics, and the like are not elgible to win.
  7. Interfering with the actual election is strictly forbidden.
  8. Contestants may use any sources of information they wish. This includes friends and family, poll data, media analysis, and anything else.
  9. The winner will be determined in this fashion:
    1. The winner shall be the person who most closely predicts the final electoral count for each candidate.
    2. In the event of a tie, the winner shall be the person who most closely predicts the number of states (and DC) correctly in regards to their final Bush or Kerry status.
    3. In the event of another tie, the winner shall be the person who correctly predicts whether the loser in Maine will pick off an electoral vote from the winner.
    4. In the event of another tie, the winner shall be the person who correctly predicts whether the Colorado ballot iniative passes.
    5. In the event of another tie, the winner shall be the person who enters the contest first.
  10. Because of the volume of entries received, a second winner shall also be selected using the first four criteron above. Only this time, the winner shall be selected randomly between "correct" entries. The winner of the other prize will not be elgible.
  11. In regards to who "wins" what state and whether ballot initiatives pass, the most current electoral results as published by the New York Times after Friday, November 5 at 12:01am Eastern (GMT-5) will be considered official. In the event of another Florida-style recount or similar mess, the deadline will be extended as long as the Race2004 sees fit.
  12. Nebraska is not a "winner-take-all" state, but for the purposes of this contest it is assumed to be. In the (hugely) unlikely event of an electoral split in Nebraska, the candidate who receives the most electoral votes there will be assumed to have won them all.
  13. The contest will not address the issue of "faithless electors" who do not vote for their pledged candidate.
  14. Above all else, this is meant to be a friendly and educational contest. Grumpy losers, whiners, complainers, and other "negative nellies" are encouraged to play CNN's electoral contest instead.
  15. This site is a friendly dictatorship. Stephen from Race2004 will be the sole judge, jury, and executioner of this contest. There will be no appeals process.
  16. The rules are subject to change at any time (should I think of any that need to be added or modified).