Voting begins in annual Best of Readers’ Choice contest

New London — After more than a month in which readers could nominate their favorite people, places and businesses in southeastern Connecticut, voting is now open for the 2019 Best of Readers’ Choice Awards, presented by The Day and Atlantic Broadband.

Those interested in voting in the fifth annual contest, can visit theday.com/bestof until 11:59 p.m. on March 12, and vote once in each of 260 categories.

The categories fall into the 10 larger topics of arts and entertainment, food and dining, great outdoors, health and wellness, home and garden, lifestyle and beauty, pets, services, shopping and wedding.

For example, readers can vote for their favorite local musician, lobster roll, winery, corn maze, barber, realtor, animal rescue, bank, jeweler and banquet hall.

Between Jan. 1 and Feb. 4, more than 13,000 people made more than 60,000 nominations, and for each category, the five entrants who received the most nominations advanced to the voting round. This is more nominations and more participants than in any past contest.

The winners will be announced in the Best of Magazine, which will be published in The Day on April 20.

“We hear from people all year long who are looking forward to the next year’s contest because it is their chance to let their friends, family and co-workers know who they think are the best people to work with, businesses to support, or places to see,” said Jaclyn Nardone, marketing manager at The Day. “If you’re an individual or business who has won in the past, the honor brings extensive bragging rights with it.”