User blog comment:Jet'ika/Featured Article/@comment-3507136-20130930105322/@comment-464536-20130930112142

The first issue could be avoided by creating a template to add for featured articles so that it would automatically add the featured article category. One or two people can then follow that page and if an unapproved entry gets added to it then it can be easily removed.

As for the bias point, I agree that is an issue. But what if we allowed to let the nomination of potential featured articles be open and then let the panel vote on it then people should not have any issue. Plus the voting could be made open, people can see the votes as put up by the panel thereby allowing for transparency that should prevent any claims of favoritism or bias.

To this I an already see a counter argument, people will keep on nominating their own articles, no matter how bad they may be. So we put up a set of rules that the article must comply with before being nominated and considered. Certain length, all sections filled with proper information, grammatically sound, etc.

Not trying to force this through, just presenting all options before we completely reject this. :)