Just an observation:
Each time I vote in one of these contest, I find I have to force, or remind, myself to focus on the craftsmanship involved in each piece. Sometimes, as I review each of the entries, I catch myself considering other factors which really should have no bearing on my decision. For example in this current contest I might find myself trying to decide whether I like a bird, a bear, or a squirrel more. Wrong! Or I might let personalities slip into my thinking, such as do I like Preston, Dan, or Mike better. Wrong!
In the end I try to make myself be purely objective and focus on the craftsmanship exhibited in each piece. I don't know how others approach this but I thought I would give you my $0.02 worth here. As I said at the top, just an observation.