Rules

2011 Beacon's Best annual contest

Official rules

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO PARTICIPATE.

TO NOMINATE A BUSINESS:

1. Businesses may be nominated online at Ohio.com July 18 through Aug. 19.
2. Nominated businesses must have a physical location for providing products/services in each category in which they are competing, with the exception of businesses competing in the categories of Pets and Weddings. Businesses that are part of a franchise or national chain will be considered as one candidate. The Akron Beacon Journal/Ohio.com reserves the right to refuse any business nomination.
3. Businesses entered on the “Other” line in any category on the printed ballot will be added as candidates to the online ballot only. Printed ballots will not be updated.
4. Allow three to five business days for nominated businesses to appear on the online ballot.

TO VOTE FOR A BUSINESS:

1. Online votes may be cast Aug. 1 through Aug. 31 at Ohio.com.
2. Mail-in ballots must be postmarked by Friday, Aug. 19.
3. Only one vote per person per day per category may be cast on Ohio.com and on mail-in ballots.
4. For mail-in ballots, only original newsprint ballots (no reproductions) will be accepted. Printed ballots may be submitted at the Beacon Journal booth at Summit Mall, Chapel Hill Mall or the Beacon Journal public service counter at 44 East Exchange St., downtown Akron, or mailed to: Beacon’s Best, P.O. Box 640, Akron, Ohio 44309-0640.
5. Free original newsprint ballots are available at the Beacon Journal public service counter at 44 East Exchange St., downtown Akron. One ballot per person per day.
6. Businesses may encourage their customers to vote by promoting the Beacon's Best competition at their locations.
7. The top 3 front-runners in each category will be displayed in real time on Ohio.com until the final week of voting. Front-runner information is the property of the Akron Beacon Journal/Ohio.com and may not be reproduced, printed or displayed by any individual or business on penalty of removal from the contest.
8. By voting in the Beacon's Best promotion, you are giving the Akron Beacon Journal/Ohio.com and its partners permission to send advertising information to you.
9. By participating in this promotion, participants agree to release and hold harmless the Akron Beacon Journal/Ohio.com and any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, franchisees, advertising promotion and fulfillment agencies, wholesalers and individual retail licensees from all losses, damages, rights, claims and actions of any kind that may arise from their participation in this promotion.
10. The Akron Beacon Journal/Ohio.com reserves the right without prior notice and at any time to terminate or suspend the promotion in whole or part in any way should any factor (including but not limited to fraud or security breach) interfere with the promotion's proper conduct as contemplated by these official rules, or if sponsor believes that the promotion has been or will be compromised.