East Bay's Best of 2026

Rules

...East Bay’s Best of 2026 – Official Contest Rules

Contest Overview

East Bay’s Best of 2026 is a community-driven awards program recognizing outstanding businesses, organizations, and individuals across the East Bay and Southcoast, MA region. Winners are determined through public nominations and voting.




Contest Timeline

  • Nomination Period: April 15 – May 1, 2026
  • Voting Period: May 20 – June 5, 2026
  • Winners Announced: August 19, 2026



Eligibility

  • Businesses, organizations, and individuals must be located in or serve the East Bay / Southcoast, MA region.
  • All nominees must fall within one of the official contest categories.
  • Sponsors and advertisers are eligible to participate; however, participation does not guarantee nomination or winning.



Nomination Rules

  • Participants may nominate one or more businesses per category.
  • A minimum of one verified nomination is required for a nominee to advance to the voting round.
  • Nominations must be submitted during the official nomination period.
  • East Bay Media Group reserves the right to approve, reject, or remove nominations that are incomplete, inappropriate, or do not meet eligibility requirements.



Voting Rules

  • Voting is open to the public during the official voting period.
  • One vote per person per category per day is permitted.
  • Voters must cast votes in at least three (3) categories for their ballot to count.
  • Automated voting, bots, or fraudulent activity are strictly prohibited and may result in disqualification.
  • East Bay Media Group reserves the right to audit votes and remove suspicious or invalid entries.



Determination of Winners

  • The nominee receiving the highest number of valid votes in each category will be named the winner.
  • In the event of a tie, East Bay Media Group reserves the right to determine the winner based on additional criteria or shared recognition.



Promotion & Advertising

  • Participation in promotional packages (sponsorships, ads, enhanced listings) is optional.
  • Purchase of advertising or sponsorship does not influence contest results.
  • Promotional packages are subject to separate terms and pricing as outlined in the media kit.



Winner Announcement & Recognition

  • Winners will be announced on August 19, 2026, and featured in a special “Best of 2026” publication distributed across all seven East Bay Media Group newspapers.
  • Winners may be featured in print, digital, email, and social media promotions.



Code of Conduct

  • Participants and nominees must engage respectfully and ethically.
  • Any attempt to manipulate nominations or votes (including incentivized voting or vote-buying) may result in disqualification.
  • East Bay Media Group reserves the right to remove any participant violating these standards.



Rights & Permissions

  • By participating, nominees and voters grant East Bay Media Group permission to use business names, logos, and submitted content for promotional purposes.
  • All decisions made by East Bay Media Group are final.



Limitation of Liability

  • East Bay Media Group is not responsible for technical issues, lost entries, or disruptions affecting participation.
  • The organization reserves the right to modify, suspend, or cancel the contest if necessary.



 Contact Information

For questions regarding the contest:

Brenda Santos

📞 401-424-9128

📧 bsantos@eastbaymediagroup.com