I received a few emails from a business associate asking me to vote early and often for his son to win a prize for his entry in a contest. His email said nothing about whether or not we thought his entry merited the prize or not.
This kind of ballot-stuffing turns competitions from the purpose of the projects to a competition between their parent’s willingness and ability to mobilize support. I checked out the entry and it was very good. But I knew that if I were to vote for the entry, I’d really be voting for the father.
The plea asked for a big favor. The favor asked me to be dishonest, and while I appreciate the love and support that motivated the father, i declined.