Voting fraud prompts the cancellation of a major Dutch book prize

Voting fraud has been uncovered ... in a Dutch literary prize.

Dutch News reports that the NS Publieksprijs, which is determined by a public vote (as a way to encourage reading), will not be handed out this year.

The prize automatically nominates the six bestselling books over the past year, but allows voters to nominate other works.

And that's where the trouble began.

A far-right politician's book was nominated and, it was discovered, began receiving votes that claimed to be coming from his fellow members of Parliament.

That revelation prompted a review of the voting, but ultimately, organizers determined that a fair vote was impossible.

So, says Dutch News, the €7,500 prize (almost $7,500) will be divided up among the six shortlisted books instead.

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