I like the new judging system. The only change I would suggest is to move the EDO contest to the main forum for maximum exposure and participation.
Tom wrote:
"It is no longer a Members contest". This was designed specifically to be a photography contest to encourage excellence not a voting contest. It is open to everyone not just RKS members. Though it may have become "a laid back, mostly informal contest just for fun", it was never intended to be simply a social event. "ZERO input from the Members"? The members "input" is their photograph. Members can and do post images in every thread without being judged. When someone takes the time to set up, shoot and enter an image for the contest I suspect they would like it judged on the merits of their image under the criteria set forth in the rules. I know of several excellent photographers that are conspicuously absent from the contest. I'm certain there are many more that I don't know about. One reason for their lack of participation may be that the best image rarely wins the "popular vote". Frankly, I don't see a great deal of participation from anyone under the current format:

July – August -8 entrants, 24 votes
May-June - 6 entrants, 24 votes
April - 4 entrants, 18 votes
Feb-Mar - 8 entrants, 25 votes
Dec-Jan- 8 entrants, 35 votes

While getting the statistics I noticed that tglassco, with his passionate support of the status quo, has not even entered the contest all year. Perhaps the new format will encourage more participation as well as better images. Anyone can win and anyone desiring to improve their photography skills need only ask. The legitimacy of the contest is not associated with the value of the award. The $13.00 hat is an award not a prize. It is supposed to acknowledge excellence not reward garnering votes.
Our forum is all inclusive and the contest is open to everyone but the winner should have the best image. Subjective, perhaps but the subjective opinion of acknowledged educated photographers will get us much closer to the stated goal of the contest.