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Voting to narrow down the nominees for the 2023 Marietta Times Readers Choice opens just after midnight Thursday.
Nominations were submitted through the Times website for local establishments in nine different overall areas: Education, Entertainment and Travel, Food and Dining, Health and Beauty, Homes and Garden, Pets, Services, Shopping and Vehicles. These areas are split into 195 categories.
A special section regarding the submitted nominees will be published in Wednesday's edition of The Marietta Times.
Votes can be cast on the Times' website at mariettatimes.com/readerschoice.
The voting format will be the same as 2022, Publisher Jim Spanner said.
"Just as last year, we added a first round of voting to narrow nominees down to the top five," he said. "From that shorter list, readers will pick a winner and two finalists in a second round of voting."
Readers can vote once per day on the website. The voting period will last from May 4 to 11. The tally will be calculated by an independent third party.
"We know the Readers' Choice is important to local businesses and organizations," he said. "It helps them build publicity and generate income."
Spanner said the categories cover a host of businesses, "nearly everything a reader needs and uses."
Education includes colleges, public and private K-12 schools and technical training.
Entertainment and Travel encompasses banquet facilities, bingo halls, community events and festivals, night out and family entertainment.
Food and Dining runs the gamut of local eateries such as ethnic eats, barbecue, breakfast food, meats, desserts and more.
Health and Beauty covers both health care businesses such as audiology offices, nursing homes and hospitals, while also including cosmetic-based places such as salons, spas and more.
Homes and Garden contains home and appliance sales, lawn care service, landscaping services, contracting work and more.
Boarding and kennels, grooming and veterinary practice fall under the Pets banner.
Services range from architecture and banks to funeral homes and weddings.
Shopping includes antiques, bridal, clothing, furniture, hardware, mattresses, shoes and more.
Car repair and dealers, brake service and towing are among the categories in Vehicles.