Dennis Phillips

publisher@silsbee-bee.com

The Silsbee Bee

 

SILSBEE — The annual Best of the Best Readers’ Choice poll is a celebration designed to highlight the outstanding individuals, businesses and services that make the community special. Each year, The Silsbee Bee invites readers to cast votes and recognize excellence across a wide range of categories — whether it’s a favorite teacher, a beloved local diner or a trusted business. It is more than a title; it reflects the voice and pride of our community.

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The Silsbee Bee has long celebrated the Best of the Best Readers’ Choice Awards, but under Phillips Publishing ownership, the process has been refined to ensure the integrity of every vote. Online voting is not allowed after past experiences in other communities showed how easily results could be skewed by individuals casting large numbers of digital votes. In one case, in Shelby County 2023, an online ballot produced 160,000 votes in a county with a population of about 25,000, creating an unrealistic outcome.

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Only printed ballots will be accepted. Readers can find ballots inside the newspaper or pick a, (1 copy per week) at The Silsbee Bee office for free. While voters may still submit multiple ballots, the printed format provides a more accurate and honest reflection of community opinion. A similar approach in Shelby County 2024 resulted in approximately 5,000 ballots, a total that better represented actual participation.

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This year’s ballot spans four pages — the largest ballot the publisher has produced in more than 30 years in the newspaper industry. Its size underscores how meaningful each vote is, not only for the advertised on the ballot pages, but also for the many others across Hardin County that contribute to the local economy. Space limitations prevent every business from being included, but the ballot still represents a broad cross-section of the community through advertising.

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Phillips Publishing has implemented its Best of the Best readers’ poll in more than eight counties, creating a consistent and trusted system. Businesses receiving the most votes will be recognized as first-place winners and invited to a formal awards banquet. In addition, banners will be displayed throughout the county, identifying those businesses as community-selected leaders. Stickers and framed certificates — familiar sights in many storefronts — will once again be distributed to winners as visible symbols of their achievement.

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Voters are encouraged to participate as fully as possible. While the ballot may seem lengthy, taking the time to complete multiple categories strengthens the results. Each year, a number of ballots are returned fully completed, reflecting a high level of effort from community members who carefully consider each category. Those ballots help create a more complete and meaningful outcome for everyone involved.

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Counting the ballots is a detailed and time-consuming process. Each ballot is counted by hand by staff members, with the process overseen and verified by the publisher. While automated systems could produce faster results, the decision to count ballots manually is intentional. The publisher maintains that this method remains the most reliable way to ensure accuracy and fairness, even though it requires a significant investment of time.

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In the event of a tie, the process goes a step further. The publisher will personally visit the tied businesses and make a final determination based on firsthand evaluation. This approach, while uncommon, is designed to maintain the credibility of the contest and ensure that each winner truly reflects the spirit and standards of the community.

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We encourage you to visit the winners, who will be announced in a special section published on June 3, 2026, featuring all results. Show your support by visiting these local businesses that have earned the community’s trust and admiration. Additionally, the banquet will be held on June 4, with more details to be announced as we approach the Awards Banquet date.

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It is important to note that the Best of the Best awards are entirely determined by the community. The votes come directly from the readers—they are not selected or influenced by The Silsbee Bee or its staff. Each winner is a reflection of the collective voice—your voice—and the results showcase the businesses and individuals the community itself has chosen to honor.