Best Of The Best Contest Rules

These are the guidelines for the ballot entries & the selection process for the 2010 Best Of contest:

1. The Best Of The Best Contest is comprised of categories that were available in the Best Of Contest held from March 14-31, 2010. Any category that ran in three or more cities may be included in the Best Of The Best.
2. Eligible candidates are those companies, persons or organizations that won at least one gold, silver or bronze awards in that category in at least one city contest. These candidates will be included in the contest, and listed on the online ballot.
3. There are no write-in votes allowed in the Best Of The Best Contest.
4. Winners will be determined as the candidates who receive the highest number of votes. The candidate with the highest number of votes in a particular category will receive the Gold award, the second highest number of votes will receive the Silver award, and the third highest number of votes will receive the Bronze award.
5. Votes are accumulated two ways: online voting and/or text message voting. Online totals are generated through voters choosing one of the candidates listed the particular category. Text voting is only available to those candidates that are participants in the Best Of The Best Kick-Off Edition publishing August 1, 2010. The final total for each candidate is determined by the compiled total of all online and text votes. Vote totals will not be published.
6. It is the intention of The Virginian-Pilot to present all three awards in each category posted; however, a candidate must receive a minimum of three (3) votes to receive any award. If no one receives that minimum, The Virginian-Pilot reserves the right to eliminate the category and not announce any winners. The right to award only the Gold and/or Silver award(s) is also reserved depending on the minimum vote total received by the candidates.
7. Voting will run from August 1-22, 2010. The online voting site will only be active during this time. Text voting that is submitted outside of this window will not be counted.
8. The Virginian-Pilot (Pilot Media) reserves the right to include or remove any category from the contest at any time.
9. The Virginian-Pilot reserves the right to refuse votes that are deemed fraudulent.
10. The Best Of Contest is the sole property of The Virginian-Pilot and Pilot Media, and reserves the right to amend the process, judge entries, and investigate all attempts of fraudulent behavior, include prosecution if appropriate. Any amendments will be published on this site.

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