It's at least a week and a half until the last votes are in for february, I figure kick the idea around the block and back for a week or two so that spring thaw will be happening in most places, and give the last one time to settle into the background, then let the prelims run for at least a month - maybe longer, if we get some great stuff coming in!
I'm going to hopefully be up to my hip pockets in learning the transmission biz, so I'm in no rush at this point. I wouldn't want folks from farther north to still be snowbound when we pop the cork on it.
Also - if people want to get in on the background action (and thus, what glory there may be in making it happen...) I'll be soliciting team members for the contest commitee.
Been my experience so far that organising these deals is more like organising a LANDSLIDE though, it runs itself with only a few suggestions