Contest Rules
PLEASE NOTE that voting indicates that you have read and agree to abide by our Contest Rules and Terms of Use.
The annual Lake Chapala Best of the Best, People’s Choice Awards survey is sponsored by ImagenMX for the purpose of recognizing outstanding business practices and products, and providing valuable information to visitors, residents and prospective residents based on input from the Lakeside Chapala community.
Contest sponsors ImagenMx and staff are continually working to simplify and streamline the Best of the Best, People’s Choice Awards voting polls. The voting process has been made faster and easier, with some valuable clarifications added to our rules.
NOMINEES
Category nominees appear in alphabetical order by category. The preliminary names were compiled by: 1) public nominations, 2) multiple recommendations on area web sites and forums, and 3) based on votes or awards received in the previous year’s survey. Following the Nominations stage, any nominee receiving 3 or more Write-Ins will earn a place as a SemiFinal Nominee. In this way, new businesses can be added during the year, even after the nomination stage and up until the Finals begin.
So that the no one can monopolize the People’s Choice Awards, we allow nominees to be nominated in multiple categories; however they can be Finalists in no more than TWO (2) categories. Should they qualify for more than this following Semi-Final voting, the number of votes will determine which two categories they will occupy. In the case of a tie in the number of votes, the business will be contacted and asked to choose which two Finalist categories they want. Please note that to open up competition, the maximum number of Finalist categories has been reduced from three in previous years.
A Lakeside business may “opt-out” of being a survey contestant by sending an email with to imagenmxpublicidad@gmail.com, and including a contact name and phone number for verification.
VOTING SCHEDULE
The upcoming People’s Choice Awards survey is comprised of six sections, with related categories in each section. Here is the contest timetable:
NOMINATIONS will be accepted beginning APRIL 1 and continuing as Write-Ins throughout the Semifinal voting process.
SEMI-FINAL VOTING will take place over a 60-day period from JUNE 1 to JULY 31. During the Semi-Final voting stage, if a favorite place of business does not already appear in a category, simply click “Other,” write in the name and click “Vote.” Repeated Write-In votes will result in that business being added to the existing list of voting “candidates.”
Semi-Final Polls will close at midnight JULY 31 so that tallying and compilation of finalists can take place. Those having received the most votes in the Semi-Final Voting will be named Finalists. Tallies will then be re-set to zero so that all finalists begin on equal footing.
FINALIST VOTING will begin AUGUST 15 and end 60 days later at midnight on OCTOBER. 14. Finalist Votes will accepted during this window only.
WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED OCTOBER 30 of this year on this web site and on the Best of Lake Chapala Facebook page. First-, second- and third-place winners are also published annually in Imagen’s subsequent Chapala Directory.
WHO CAN VOTE
For contest validity, voting is open only to registered members who may log in and vote once daily in any or all categories. Two votes representing two registered members will be accepted daily from a single IP address. Any attempt to disguise or mask the IP — by use of a VPN or any other means — is not allowed and can result in revocation of voting rights and nullification of votes cast. (Note that a VPN can easily be turned off during the voting process.) As noted previously, voting confirms you have read and agree to abide by these Contest Rules and Terms of Use.
HOW TO REGISTER
It’s Free! It’s Easy!! It’s Confidential!!! To register, simply submit a user name and email address. You will receive a Confirmation Notice by email if requested. You can then begin casting your votes. Duplicate or multiple email registrations will not be accepted. All personal information (such as confirmation email address) will be held in strictest confidence (see our Privacy Policy in Site Terms of Use).
WINNERS & AWARDS
Winners will be announced OCTOBER 30 of this year on this web site and also on our Facebook page: Best of Lake Chapala. In the event of a 1st-place tie, both finalists will be named winners.
All winners are authorized to display the unaltered People’s Choice Digital Award Emblem in print or online publicity, and also entitled to purchase at a nominal fee an Award Certificate suitable for framing and displaying in the place of business.
Winners are asked to contact the contest sponsors via this web site to provide a working email and a current physical address for delivery of digital award(s) and/or certificate(s). By visiting and viewing this site, both winners and nominees confirm that they have read and agree to abide by the site’s Contest Rules and Terms of Use.
DISCLAIMER
Every effort will be made to ensure accurate, valid and objective contest results. Among other actions, irregular or suspect votes as identified by the site polling software will be deleted or adjusted. Repeat offenders will be blocked from site access.
Should an individual, group or business attempt to exploit the voting poll, or exhibit any sort of technical aberration or suspicious activity such IP cloaking or spoofing, or in any way violate the integrity of the People’s Choice survey or any portion of its Contest Rules, sponsor ImagenMx reserves the right to take whatever remedial steps it deems appropriate.
Such remedial steps by ImagenMx may include but are not limited to:
1) revocation of site membership and contest and/or voting participation
2) the posting of clarifications and corrections on this site as well as in area print media or social media sites, with total impunity and lack of liability arising from said clarifications or corrections;
3) revocation of authorization to use any past, present or future People Choice award;
4) legal action as necessary to obtain rectification and punitive damages. Should legal action be necessary, all associated legal fees will be the due and payable by the defendant upon conclusion of legal action and ruling.
ImagenMx and its sponsors or employees cannot be held responsible for intentionally fraudulent voting, unauthorized claims related to our survey, or unauthorized duplication, alteration, or use of the award emblem; nor can they be held liable for the results of the automatic tally, or any indirect, incidental, consequential or damages or any loss of profit, revenue, or goodwill, or any claims of damage, loss, and expense arising from this public voting platform and web site.
IMPORTANT NOTE
Beyond the certificate and emblem granted to winners, no personal reward, profit or compensation of any sort is involved, offered or implied for any merchant/business, registered member, participating voter, BestofLakeChapala.com, its sponsors or its employees. Winning a People’s Choice award does not constitute an endorsement by this web site.
Based on participant or voter input, or technical constraints, ImagenMX reserves the right to interpret, clarify and appropriately revise its site Contest Rules and Terms of Use at any time.