Kinda, but I think it was really obvious that he'd be nominated. There's hundreds of nominations every year; Manning has been nominated repeatedly times, Assange has been nominated. Now Snowden's in the news; what were the odds some politician somewhere wouldn't take the opportunity to get some easy headlines by nominating Snowden? I can't imagine him not getting a few nominations. :)

The Nobel Committee will consider any nominee, but it may also consider other entities that it seem fit. So in a way, you don't have to be nominated.

Unless...

> he was probably nominated dozens of times.