Choosing Categories
Each year, the editorial and management teams evaluate our list of categories for the Best of Maple Grove survey, usually eliminating a few of the less popular ones—where fewer people voted—and adding new topics to keep things fresh.
When we began publishing the Best of Maple Grove as a separate issue of Maple Grove Magazine two years ago, we expanded our list from around 30 to almost 50 categories, and added an Editor’s Pick section that recognizes special individuals or businesses.
Casting Ballots
Beginning on October 1 and running through November 15, 2014, we invited readers to go online to maplegrovemag.com to tell us their favorites in the selected 50 categories. As in past years, it was a write-in ballot with no pre-selected choices from the editorial staff. We truly rely on readers to decide on the finalists and winners in each category.
Counting Votes
Once voting closed on November 15, our editorial team began the challenging task of tabulating the results. To make the process efficient and fair, we do adhere to a few rules as we count the votes.
- Readers cannot vote more than once from the same IP address. Each device–phone, computer, tablet—has its own IP address. We automatically eliminate any additional votes from an IP address to control any possibility of ballot-stuffing.
- Readers must vote in a minimum of 10 categories for their ballot to be considered valid; ballots with votes in fewer than 10 categories are eliminated. Again, this is to obtain a fair representation of selections by readers.
- The top three vote-getters in each category become finalists, and the top vote-getter is the winner. At this point, our editorial team fact checks the address and contact information for each finalist. If the finalist is no longer a valid selection due to a closed business, etc., we then move to the next highest vote-getter, who then becomes a finalist.
- As soon as all the 2015 votes were tabulated and finalists determined, we posted the results at edinamag.com. The winners in each category were kept secret until the Best of Maple Grove event at Plymouth Creek Center on April 22; finalists and winners are also revealed in this special Best of Maple Grove issue of Maple Grove Magazine, which was distributed at the event and mailed with the May 2015 issue.
Community-centric: Occasionally, we get questions from readers about the inclusion on the finalist list of a business that is located just outside of Maple Grove Magazine’s coverage area. In order to qualify as a finalist in the Best of Maple Grove survey, the business or individual must be located in the community and/or provide services to Maple Grove residents.
Spreading the word: Just as we advertise the Best of Maple Grove voting in our print publications, online, and through Facebook and Twitter, it’s also become very common for local businesses, individuals and others to do the same and encourage their clients, fans and friends to cast a vote for them in a particular Best of Maple Grove category.
Winning ways: Each winner receives a framed copy of this year’s Best of Maple Grove cover design, indicating the winning category and their business name. They also receive a “Best of 2015” icon, perfect for marketing and promotional materials.
