John,
Thanks, you seem to agree with my main point when you say, "I do like the idea of a committee to nominate the chips (with input from members)before a final vote with everyone allowed to vote.".... ..... Also, the members would be more involved if they could readily vote on the chips.

Off hand, I would work it something like this;
1. have a committee run it.
2. let the members who want to, send in nominations.
3. let the top 10 or whatever nominations automatically be on the ballot, unless the committee deems them clearly inappropriate by some standards or their own discretion (egs., they suspect ballot stuffing, obscenity [brothel chip??], the theme of the chip is frivilous [egs., anti-casino or anti-chip collecting], etc..) I wouldn't make a big deal over this power of the committee; it wouln't be exercised much, I imagine.
4. let the committee add a number of other chips to the ballot as it sees fit.
5. let the whole membership vote on the nominees.

Robert