It is unfortunate that the cut-off date changes each year. I would like to see it be the same date every year, at a time before the earliest possible occurrence of the holiday. This keeps the time for nominations the same, and those years where Passover comes later, it gives more time to read/view/experience the finalists.

My theory being no one can read every written work of sci-fi/fantasy produced in a year, better to spend more time on the ones which have bubbled up to the surface.