What exactly are you voting on? This isn't a competition. I should also note that I hand select the people that actually present after taking a look at the product description and a) checking to see that it doesn't violate the "no startup", "no work related things"... or attempt to. b) if there's overflow invite the ones I think will be best. So far it hasnt' failed, but, there's only been about 25 talks total over 3 nights.
Incidentally, don't do more than 7 or 8 of these talks a night--it gets way too long too quick.
The idea about voting isn't to select a "best" hack each night, its to say "take some time to find a better hack". That way if someone does get through the pre-screening you have a way to say, "take a couple weeks to think about your next Tell."
Granted the nation wide voting idea kinda gives the wrong impression on that part. I still think it'd be a good idea to keep videos somewhere.
Granted it was mostly just hand waving on how to keep the non-hacker attendees from overwhelming the hacker presenters.
Surely interacting with other people presenting their great hacks is a good way to get inspiration for your own hacks and to get a feel for what your group considers a "great hack". Kicking people out and telling people to work in isolation until they stumble upon something that meets your requirements seems both elitist and pointless.
Incidentally, don't do more than 7 or 8 of these talks a night--it gets way too long too quick.