Shore Local’s Choice Awards – Rules & Voting Process

Overview

The Shore Local’s Choice Awards, presented by Shore Local News Magazine, celebrate the best businesses, services and experiences across Atlantic and Cape May counties. Winners are determined by community vote.

Eligibility

Nominees must be locally based businesses, organizations or services operating within the Shore Local coverage area.

Businesses must be open and in good standing at the time of nomination and voting.

National chains may be included only if they have a physical local presence and active community engagement.

Nomination Process

The nomination round is open to the public for a specified period.

Participants may submit one nomination per category per day.

The top nominees in each category (based on total nominations) advance to the final voting round.

Shore Local reserves the right to verify and adjust nominations for accuracy, duplication or category fit.

Voting Process

Final voting is conducted online during the official voting period.

Voters may cast one vote per category per day.

Voting is free and open to the public.

Measures such as IP tracking and email verification may be used to ensure fair voting.

Automated, bulk or fraudulent voting activity is strictly prohibited and will result in disqualification.

Fair Voting & Integrity

Any attempt to manipulate results—including the use of bots, fake accounts or incentive-based voting campaigns—may result in removal from the ballot.

Shore Local reserves the right to audit votes and make final determinations on eligibility and results.

All decisions made by Shore Local are final.

Promotion Guidelines

Nominees and businesses are encouraged to promote their participation and invite customers to vote.

Promotions must not include incentives (discounts, giveaways, etc.) in exchange for votes.

Official Shore Local voting links and graphics should be used when possible.

Winners & Recognition

Winners are determined by the highest number of valid votes in each category.

Results will be published in Shore Local News Magazine and on ShoreLocalNews.com.

Winners may be featured in print, digital editions and on social media.

Selected categories may also include “Editor’s Choice” recognitions at the discretion of Shore Local.

General Conditions

By participating, nominees and voters agree to these rules.

Shore Local reserves the right to modify categories, timelines or rules as necessary.

Participation constitutes consent for business names and images to be used for promotional purposes.