Without wanting to comment on how forum polls work (mainly because I don't know
) this sounds a lot like the Eurovision Song Contest in, errr, Europe. (Duh!)
The way that works is like this: You have however many countries which are currently eligeable - somewhere around 24, say. Each presents a song to the world. Then each participating country gets to vote on all the songs except it's own. (I know - that bit doesn't apply here!)
Anyway, the countries assign from a maximum of 12 points to a minimum of 0 points. Only once can points from 1 to 12 inclusive be granted to a country - so only 1 country gets awarded 1 point, only 1 country gets 2 points, etc., from any country, up to a maximum of 12 points. The remaining entries are awarded 0 points. (Maybe because the song was bad, maybe because the artist was climbing all over the stage equipment, or wearing ridiculous outfits - whatever!) Points awarded by a country
must total the maximum possible. Then the next country votes, then the next, and so on.
I've simplified slightly in that for some reason countries don't get awarded an 11 at all, but I think that pretty much covers the gist of it. If such a system could be implemented here that would probably fill the brief. Any voter
has to award between 1 to 10 points to a selection of 60 fish, for example, thus keeping it fair.
Of course, I don't know how to get round the problem of late entry fish, but I'll leave the brainstorming in somebody elses hands for that.