How I would change the voting process

[PFHOFlover]

If I were president of the Pro Football Hall of Fame which obviously I’m not here’s how I would change the voting process

Go back to the old voting process

Keep coaches and contributors separate

Make the senior coach and contributors separate again

Have more transparency

Make all votes public

Have a special election for pre 60s candidates with voters like Clark Judge and Rick Gosselin and historians like Bill Belichick Chris Willis John Turney and Ken Crippen

Let the public view the meetings but without comments

[PaulPFHOF]

All good ideas that many of us have discussed here and on other social media forums for years.

But alas the current President, driven by pressure from some voters,members of media and PFHOFers pushed the Hall Board that classes were getting too large, in their view "watering" down the honor. Seems unlikely that view will change anytime soon. And it is real unfortunate as more deserving seniors will not live to experience the honor of their enshrinement.

As to more transparency, public votes, and more insight to the process including election meetings, as much as those would be interesting to us who follow the hall closely, not so sure it really would inform folks nor change the process and results. BBWA has opened up their process in recent years, still does not stop the calls for reform of process and consideration of those not elected.

I suspect when the Hall Board has their annual meeting in Canton next month during enshrinement week, we could see some changes the process but suspect those will be less about getting more deserving candidates elected (especially seniors) and more about addressing the controversies from the class of 2026 results with focus on the actual voters and the election process, in part holding voters more accountable to follow the rules in place.

[PFHOFlover]

Not sure it would really inform folks nor change the process or results what do you mean

Are you the same Paul from ZoneBlitz

[PaulPFHOF]

Meaning, lets say we knew that modern player x only got 28 votes in first found of voting from 15 to 10 moderns and not enough to advance-what does that tell us?

And if the Hall released the voters ballots, what would we learn if in the vote down from 15 to 10, voter z included Eli?

Interesting and informative perhaps, but does it make us feel better/worse about the outcomes?

How does any of that improve the outcome of voting??

and yes I am the same guy

[PFHOFlover]

I guess you’re right

Welcome have you checked out my other forum posts

What made you want to join PFRA

[sluggermatt15]

Meaning, lets say we knew that modern player x only got 28 votes in first found of voting from 15 to 10 moderns and not enough to advance-what does that tell us?

And if the Hall released the voters ballots, what would we learn if in the vote down from 15 to 10, voter z included Eli?

Interesting and informative perhaps, but does it make us feel better/worse about the outcomes?

How does any of that improve the outcome of voting??

and yes I am the same guy

I've always considered this to be secret information. Just like if you vote for a political candidate in local/national elections... who each citizen votes for is never made public (unless the individual chooses to disclose the information). I would guess showing who voters chose would create more backlash and cause a lot of folks to question them. Could lead to more negatives than keeping the information private.

[RichardBak]

Meaning, lets say we knew that modern player x only got 28 votes in first found of voting from 15 to 10 moderns and not enough to advance-what does that tell us?

And if the Hall released the voters ballots, what would we learn if in the vote down from 15 to 10, voter z included Eli?

Interesting and informative perhaps, but does it make us feel better/worse about the outcomes?

How does any of that improve the outcome of voting??

and yes I am the same guy

I've always considered this to be secret information. Just like if you vote for a political candidate in local/national elections... who each citizen votes for is never made public (unless the individual chooses to disclose the information). I would guess showing who voters chose would create more backlash and cause a lot of folks to question them. Could lead to more negatives than keeping the information private.

Yes, sanctity of the voting booth and all that. The way the world is today, with people and their families harassed over every little thing, some HOF voters might decide it's not worth it if their votes were known and blasted all over the internet. Too many fuckin' crazies out there.

[PaulPFHOF]

BBHOF has allowed the release of writers ballots (with their approval and most have given it), has it brought negative focus and attention to voters? Deservedly so in some cases due to some very questionable choices, but has that transparency really improved the process and results which remain highly debated very year, I don't think so. Again I am not opposed to the idea of public ballots, just worth noting its impact would seem to be minimal at best.

[readjack]

I'm definitely all for transparency. I would love to see the entire meeting broadcast, or at least filmed and then released in clips. Paul and I know how that goes with our group.

But I don't think the problem here is that anonymity grants voters cover to make bad decisions. I think the problem is that they're making decisions they don't view as bad.

[PaulPFHOF]

I remain convinced that its the current election process and not the actual voters (for the most part) that is the fundamental problem.

In my view, looking at it over a period of time, voters get 80%+ of the selections right, some later elected when they should have been earlier.

Just look at 2024-2026 elections, 16 elected, willing to guess majority of us are satisfied with 12 or 13 of those...and process last two years should have allowed a few more elected....more critical of a new process that limits # elected and makes seniors compete directly against coaches/contributors

And yes some more consultation, and transparency would be helpful, but improvements to election process would in my view make the very bigger difference maker when it comes to who (and how many) are elected.