Rules

How nominations work

Anyone may nominate. There is no shortlist and no pre-approved options — every name on the ballot got there because a reader typed it in.

You nominate one category at a time. Each answer is saved the moment you give it, so you can stop and come back; a nomination you have already made counts even if you never finish the ballot.

You may skip any category. A skip is recorded so we know which categories readers have no opinion about, and it does not count as a nomination.

Some categories ask for two things — a business and the specific item, such as a dish or a drink. Both are required for those categories.

One nomination per person, per category

Each verified email address may hold one active nomination in each category. Nominating in a category you have already answered replaces your earlier answer rather than adding to it.

Your previous answer is kept in our records but no longer counts. Submitting the same business repeatedly does not increase its total.

Totals count people, not submissions.

The top three

When nominations close, the three most-nominated names in each category advance.

From November 1, each category shows those three names in alphabetical order. We do not publish nomination counts or standings at any point during nominations or voting.

Voting in December

Voting opens once nominations close and runs through the end of December. Winners are announced in the new year.

One vote per category, one ballot per person, verified by email.

Which businesses are eligible

Any business, organisation, event or individual serving North San Luis Obispo County may be nominated. A business does not need to advertise with us, know about the contest, or do anything at all to be nominated or to win.

Where the same business is named several different ways, we combine those entries so the nominations count together rather than splitting.

What disqualifies a nomination

We remove entries that are not a real business or organisation, that are duplicates of an entry already counted, or that are abusive.

Automated or bulk submissions are removed. Nominations are rate limited, and submissions that fail our automated checks are not recorded.

Removing an entry affects only that entry. It does not affect anyone else in the category.