Readers Choice 22

NOMINATIONS AND VOTING

Nomination round: The contest starts with a nomination round online, where readers can propose businesses, organizations and individuals for all of the categories. This keeps the contest fresh as new businesses and organizations come to the area and as existing ones change and grow.

Voting round: Everyone may vote once per day in any or all categories! This round will determine the winner and two finalists in each category.

FAIR VOTING RULES NOMINATION GUIDELINES

Nominees/entrants are prohibited from soliciting votes by offering payments or exchange of value of any kind. Voting is limited to one vote in each category per person per day. During the nomination phase, nominations can be entered once per category per hour.

Our Readers’ Choice team does its best to vet all nominees. Here are the guidelines we use: Businesses/businesspeople located in these zip codes are eligible: 50050, 50217, 50249, 50501, 50510, 50511, 50516, 50517, 50518, 50519, 50520, 50523, 50524, 50525, 50529, 50530, 50532, 50533, 50536, 50538, 50540, 50541, 50542, 50543, 50544, 50546, 50548, 50551, 50554, 50557, 50558, 50560, 50561, 50562, 50563, 50566, 50569, 50571, 50574, 50575, 50577, 50579, 50581, 50583, 50586, 50591, 50594, 50595, 50597, 50598, 50599, 51449, 51453

We reserve the right to disqualify a business or organization from a category that does not represent a significant focus of its activities. Nominations for categories that call for individuals, like Best Real Estate Agent, must include the nominee’s full name and place of business, and may be rejected if that information is not provided. Application of our criteria is not an exact science. Our team uses its best judgment; if you think we’ve made an error, please email readerschoice@messengernews.net.

The Real Company category is not intended for individual agents unless they are sole proprietors of an agency or brokerage, in which case that agency or brokerage may be nominated under their name. Individual agents should be nominated in the Real Estate Agent category.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: I nominated a business, but it’s not showing up on the nomination site. Why?

We review all submissions, so there can be a delay in it appearing.

It only takes one qualified nomination to move to the voting round, so even if you never see your nomination on the nomination site, if it met the category criteria, your nomination will be in the voting round.

Q: My business was nominated, and I saw it on the website during the nomination period, but it is not showing up in the voting round. Why?

After nominations close and before voting opens, our team does its best to vet all nominees. While your business may have appeared during the nomination period, our team may have determined it was ineligible for the voting round.

Q: I missed the nomination period. Can my business still be entered in the contest?

Late nominations may be accepted if received promptly after the nomination round closes. They will be reviewed as soon as is practical, and if they meet the criteria for their proposed category, they will be included in the voting round.

Q: My business was nominated, but did not appear in the voting round. How do I register a complaint?

Email us at readerschoice@messengernews.net within 24 hours after the voting period opens. You must identify the category and tell us why you think your business should have been included.

Like most humans, we sometimes make mistakes, and if we have, we’ll add your business within moments of our decision.

Q: How are the winners selected?

Winners are those that received the most votes in their category. Finalists are those that received the second- and third-most votes in their category. If there is a tie, we will announce both winners and/or finalists.

Q: Why does this contest allow people to nominate/vote every day?

We allow daily voting because it rewards those entrants with passionate supporters. With a single vote per person, entrants with the best name recognition have a distinct advantage, as many voters skim over categories and cast their votes casually. That kind of popularity is an important part of finding the Readers’ Choice favorites. But we also want to reward the sense of passion some people have for their local favorites, which can be captured in daily voting.

Also: This contest is fundamentally about celebrating and supporting great local institutions by raising their profile and helping them gain new fans. With daily voting, the contest raises the visibility of those businesses and organizations that use it to reach out to new and existing customers to ask for their support, through advertising and through their own channels.

Q: Is it okay to use multiple email accounts to vote even more times?

Voting is limited to one vote per person per day. Even though we require signups, we recognize that some people, in their enthusiasm, may be tempted to vote several times using different email accounts. We do have systems in place to detect fraudulent voting. When we see evidence of fraudulent voting, we may eliminate all the votes cast by those voters. In extreme cases, we will remove entrants, as well.

Danielle Michalski

Abby Dorsey Jennifer Brown Hannah Campbell Joy Schauper

Brenda Rowley Cassondra Plagge Debra Litwiller Chloe Lentsch

Danielle Michalski & Jennifer Brown

Dental

Dental Behavioral

Medical Dental Behavioral

Alan

Best Fitness CenterTaekwondo//MMA

Jiu Jitsu// Self Defense Sogo Ryu Bujutsu Yoga// Tai Chi// Kendo Cardio & Strength, Kickboxing, Wrestling // Boxing

Thank you for nominating Faiferlick Martial Arts for the Messengers Readers Choice Awards

Best Martial Arts Facility-

Faiferlick Martial Arts is a mixed martial arts gym that offers a variety of classes to students in Fort Dodge, IA and the surrounding counties within an 80 mile radius. We are a highly respected and family friendly facility that teaches our students physical, intellectual, emotional and social skills. Between our Self Defense, MMA, Taekwondo, and Jiu Jitsu classes– there’s something for you!

Best Entertainment for KidsOffering our “LIL CHAMPS”

This class is for 3-7 year olds that are ready to focus for 30 minutes! We work on basic jiu jitsu games, blocks, kicks, and self-defense all mixed in with some fun. Our goal is to get them ready to join our regular martial arts classes.

Best After School ProgramOur After School Martial Arts Program offers parents a fun, exciting and educational alternative to daycare, extended care and standard after-school activities. Shake-up the after-school doldrums this year by signing your kids up for our After-School Martial Arts program. Your child will be in a safe, nurturing and structured environment that combines after school supervision and martial arts classes. Your child will develop self-esteem, confidence, self-discipline, physical fitness and courtesy towards others through the practice of the tenets of martial arts and character development. Grades 2nd – 8th