A press release from LoneStarCon 3:

LoneStarCon 3, the 71st World Science Fiction Convention, is delighted to report that the finalists for this year’s Hugo Awards and John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer will be announced on Saturday, March 30, starting at 3 p.m. CDT. We are also proud to announce that the number of this year’s number of nomination ballots received this year set a new response record.

The nominations announcement will be made simultaneously at four conventions in the United States and United Kingdom, with the shortlists being published through the LoneStarCon 3 website immediately afterwards.

Conventions taking part in the announcement are:

– Norwescon 36, one of the Pacific Northwest’s premier science fiction and fantasy conventions, in Seatac, WA (1 p.m. PDT)

– Minicon 48, Minnesota’s longest-running science fiction convention, in Bloomington, MN (3 p.m. CDT)

– Marcon 48, the Midwest’s largest annual convention, in Columbus, OH (4 p.m. EDT)

– EightSquaredCon, the British National Science Fiction Convention (Eastercon), in Bradford, England (8 p.m. GMT).

Nominations will also be released category by category via the LoneStarCon 3 Facebook page at www.facebook.com/LoneStarCon3 and the LoneStarCon 3 Twitter feed at twitter.com/LoneStarCon.

A total of 1,343 valid nominating ballots were cast, substantially exceeding the previous record of 1,101 set in 2012 by Chicon 7.

According to LoneStarCon 3 Chair Randall Shepherd, “this outstanding turnout confirms that interest in the Hugo Awards is at an all-time high. LoneStarCon 3 will mark exactly 60 years since the Hugos were first presented at the 11th Worldcon in Philadelphia, PA. Winners that year included Alfred Bester, Willy Ley, Ed Emshwiller, and Forrest J Ackerman; LoneStarCon 3 members will soon have the chance to decide who will follow in those illustrious footsteps.”

After the announcement of the nominees, the final voting process will begin. Attending, Young Adult, Military, and Supporting members of LoneStarCon 3 will be able to cast final ballots until Wednesday, July 31, 2013, 11:59 p.m. EDT. The winners will be announced on Sunday, September 1, 2013, during the Hugo Awards Ceremony at LoneStarCon 3.