'Laid bear': Rigging mars Alaskan Fat Bear Week as officials eliminate more than 7,000 fake votes
The famous Fat Bear Week held by the Katmai National Park in Alaska was found to be rigged after officials found fake votes being cast. The two contenders competing were Bear 747 and Holly. After more than 7,000 fake votes were eliminated, it was found that Bear 747 was the real winner with 37,940 votes while Holly, Bear 435, bagged 30,430 votes.
On Monday, October 10, the national park tweeted, "FAT BEAR WEEK SCANDAL Like bears stuff their face with fish, our ballot box, too, has been stuffed." Later they added to the thread a statement with the final vote counts. The tweet read, "It appears someone has decided to spam the Fat Bear Week poll, but fortunately it is easy for us to tell which votes are fraudulent. We have discarded the fake votes and today’s official totals are: 747: 37,940, 435: 30,430"
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Every year in October, the park organizes Fat Bear Week which is an "imaginary competition" where the audience is supposed to vote for a bear that has "chunked itself" up the best before hibernation season. The voting happens on the basis of pictures released by park officials. However, this year's competition was marred by the voting scam. The competition drew myriad reactions from people, including references to the 2020 US Presidential elections.
It appears someone has decided to spam the Fat Bear Week poll, but fortunately it is easy for us to tell which votes are fraudulent. We have discarded the fake votes and today’s official totals are:
— Katmai National Park (@KatmaiNPS) October 10, 2022
747: 37,940
435: 30,430
A person tweeted, "What's wrong with people," to which the park responded, "We're touched that people love our bears enough to sway votes in their favor, but they deserve a clean win, even in an imaginary competition." Another user said, "The competition may be imaginary, but the glory is real."
The competition may be imaginary, but the glory is real.
— Martha Howell (@howell5917) October 10, 2022
Referring to January 6 Capitol riot, a person tweeted, "Careful. We don’t want people violently storming the park," while the other tweeted, "NOOOOoooooo I was so happy when I saw Holly was leading. I feel like storming the national parks on Jan 6th."
Careful. We don’t want people violently storming the park
— HootenAnnie (@hooten_Annie) October 10, 2022
NOOOOoooooo I was so happy when I saw Holly was leading. I feel like storming the national parks on Jan 6th.
— Liz St Clair (@Lemur_Skulls) October 10, 2022
There were responses that brought back the mantra used by Donald Trump, "STOP THE STEAL" or "STOP THE COUNT".
STOP THE STEAL, STOP THE STEAL, STOP THE STEAL
— tori (candycorn’s strongest defender) 🏳️⚧️ (@Tori4ThePeople) October 10, 2022
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