Voting opens in Alaska's annual Fat Bear Week

Polls opened on Tuesday for Alaska's annual Fat Bear Week, the only election that truly matters in the United States. While Americans prepare for the upcoming midterm elections, residents of rural Alaska are tuning in to vote for the bear with the most impressive weight gain as they prepare for hibernation. This internet sensation has become a favorite moment online, pitting brown bears from Katmai National Park against each other in a series of head-to-head contests.

Viewers can watch a live stream of the bears feasting on salmon in the Brooks River or peruse biographies of top contenders, complete with pictures showing their weight gain over the past summer.

Organizers encourage voters to select the bear they believe best exemplifies fatness and success in brown bears. The bear with the most votes advances to the next round, with only one crowned the Fat Bear Week champion. Last year's winner, Chunk, faced a tough challenge from two-time winner Grazer. Summer and early autumn are crucial fueling periods for brown bears, who will not eat for five months of hibernation, relying on their fat reserves to survive the harsh Alaskan winter.

The online contest has evolved from a modest experiment in 2014 to an eagerly anticipated event with more than a million votes cast each year. The primary goal of Fat Bear Week is to raise awareness about brown bears and their habitat in Alaska, as well as the threats they face from human activity.