This has been a hot topic of conversation in the past but has really never been resolved. I firmly believe that if it is "only challenge members can vote" than if you have not become a member by entering a page then you should not be joining just to vote. It is basically on the honor system and we all know . . . .

I was not aware of this happening. How terrible to join just to vote. I do hope something is done about it. I'm against anyone joining SBF just to vote on family or friends pages. Fairs fair.

yes belle 15, my comment is for challenge that only member can vote

I agree with you 7of7. Anything to improve the voting sounds good to me. If there was a way to make it so that you couldn't vote until you entered a page in that type of challenge that would be awesome! :)

I totally agree with you. There really seems to be some competitive people who want certain people to get more votes just because they're friends.

This is cheating, plain and simple. People who have never even put up a page on this site join challenges and skew the voting. It was discussed over and over in the past but invariably ended up with people being told "don't worry about awards, just move on" ... so I moved on out.

Sad to see it's still happening.

Just to illustrate the point, here's a link to the last challenge I entered.

33 pages were entered.
25 members posted those 33 pages between them. So far so good.

However:

37 members joined the challenge as you can see on the front challenge page. If you click "see all" there are only 36 members.

This means that one joined, voted and left.

9 regular members joined but did not enter a page. Presumably they voted for their friends only and did not rate every page, which is what should be done.

2 "members" who have never put up a page on this website joined at the very last minute and voted for the same page and only that page. (I know this because I voted late myself. I saw when they joined and which page they voted for.)

And that is how people win challenges here.

As I said, no matter how people try to dress it up, it's cheating, and it's despicable.

http://www.scrapbookflair.com/challenges/SKETCH_CHALLENGE_1

Just to illustrate the point, here's a link to the last challenge I entered.

33 pages were entered.
25 members posted those 33 pages between them. So far so good.

However:

37 members joined the challenge as you can see on the front challenge page. If you click "see all" there are only 36 members.

This means that one joined, voted and left.

9 regular members joined but did not enter a page. Presumably they voted for their friends only and did not rate every page, which is what should be done.

2 "members" who have never put up a page on this website joined at the very last minute and voted for the same page and only that page. (I know this because I voted late myself. I saw when they joined and which page they voted for.)

And that is how people win challenges here.

As I said, no matter how people try to dress it up, it's cheating, and it's despicable.

http://www.scrapbookflair.com/challenges/SKETCH_CHALLENGE_1

This was my challenge and I do think that the best page won! Also it was open to all members of SBF to vote, I did not state that only members of challenge could vote.

@valrushton - "Ghost" members who have never bothered to upload a single page on this site should not be permitted to vote on anything, ever.

The situation that 7of7design aka Scrapy Matante outlined regarding the challenges where members only can vote is even worse.

The fact that so many people think it's acceptable and are prepared to defend it is what drove me away, and I don't think I was the only one who left because of it.

mea culpa! I entered the beautiful picture ch. but then realized it was new pages only. Then my carpel tunnel acted up and I never got around to entering,so I didn't vote. There should be a way to remove yourself when you realize you can't participate...

I must admit I have also been guilty of joining a challenge and then not entering a page. While I am at work sometimes things just get too hectic and I don't get a chance to scrap or even come onto the site for days but often I have gone through up-coming challenges and joined ones that I would like to enter. But when the time comes to upload the pages for the challenge I am just too busy. Saying that though I then don't vote on other pages either.

It is possible for a member to remove herself(himself) from a challenge but not for the challenge owner to remove a member that do not post a page

I've just checked (to see if I was really blind or incapacitated at the time lol) and the challenge I referred to above states quite clearly "Voting Setting: Only challenge members can vote." So voting was not open to all members of SbF.

Not that it changes anything I said, just reinforces it.

Such a pity the problem can't be resolved.

This is Exactly the Problem we had with Maria & Co. and the management spoke to her about it, and she & Co. departed. Recently in 2 challenges I created I had the same problem, so I decided to send the members who did not enter a page a private note, I got very polite replies indicating problems they had, why they had not submitted a page. This problem that is mentioned occurred in 2012 which is 5 years ago, Please let us move on, and Scrap!

I post this message in 2013 and I brought it up again because my request is the same in 2017

This is what I do. I never join a challenge until I create a page/s for the said challenge then I join that challenge and enter my page/s. I then vote for all other pages in that challenge. I think by doing this, it makes it fair for everyone. I'm really not one for the cheating as well.

I was just about to post a similar message Sherry - I seldom enter challenges until I have done a page then enter and post at the same time. Occasionally I make a page well in advance and then I will enter earlier. You never know what will happen to prevent you from making a page so best not to commit. It's unfortunate that some people have to resort to these practices - but that's life!!

I make my pages in advance and join after they are done. Funny how we (Sherry, Joce, and me,) all do the same thing. Jackie & scrapfiend, I agree that its not fun to work hard to create your best page, and some members do not do the same,just vote for their friends,
unfortunately I cannot see any answer to this problem!

Ditto;
I too was going to say the same as,Sherry,Joyce and simsage.I like to do my pages in advance and then enter the comps.You will never please everyone all of the time as thats an impossible task,but I myself think it has to be down to individuals conscience, can't see the point in cheating and its only yourself who can know how you work these things.I always vote on the day before the comp ends and make a point of voting for all in the comp so I know I've been fair to all. hopefully if we all adhere to the terms of the comp ,there should be no problems.Sorry if I've waffled and happy and peaceful scrapping to you all..