In 2011, Mattel introduced atype of contest that would prove to be rare: doll elections. The setup of a doll election is that there are three candidates of different character development backgrounds that fans can vote for to be released as a doll the next year. The two who don't win are not doomed to never be made into a doll, but rather won't be available until the year after the winner is released. As of yet, Monster High has only hosted two doll elections: one in 2011 during San Diego Comic-Con International and one in 2014 in September. Both doll elections have been met with controversy that accuses Mattel of having decided the winners beforehand and dissatisfaction that most of the participants end up as Comic-Con-exclusive dolls and the rest as store-exclusive dolls.