Jenni Defouw

Some of you may remember our Readers’ Choice contest, Best of Maui. After a six-year hiatus, Best of Maui is back and better than ever.

When I first started in the newspaper industry, one of my roles was to manage and improve a similar contest in a different community. I fell in love with it, and I have remained passionate about it over the years. Best of Maui connects people and places and gives readers a voice — and the final say.

The entire community including visitors, friends and family will nominate and vote for their favorite local businesses, organizations, individuals and places. It’s a celebration of what makes our area unique, and we’re proud to host this contest as a way to recognize and support those who make a difference here.

Nominations are open now through Sept. 19 at www.mauinews.com/best. It only takes one nomination to be included in the voting round. The voting round will then run from Sept. 29 through Oct. 11, and winners will be announced in a special publication Dec. 11.

We’re excited to announce some updates to this year’s Best of Maui that are designed to make the program even more engaging and meaningful for our community.

This year, we did away with paper ballots and are using a digital platform. This will make it easier for readers to nominate and vote, and it will also provide promotion to local businesses throughout the year. The digital platform will also enhance security measures to help ensure a fair voting process. We have also added more categories to recognize and celebrate a broader range of businesses and services.

Our goal is to celebrate the very best local businesses and services — chosen by you, our loyal readers — in a way that’s easier and more secure. We believe these changes will make your voting experience better than ever and give every nominee a fair opportunity to earn your support.

You will be required to register by including your name and email address. We will ask you if you want to receive promotional information from us or sign up for any of our newsletters. But rest assured, we will not be selling your information. If you are having difficulties logging in or navigating the site, please let us know by emailing best@mauinews.com. We are here to help make this an enjoyable annual event for everyone.

We’re grateful for your participation and can’t wait to see which local favorites you’ll choose this year! Thank you for helping us shine a spotlight on the businesses and people who make our community a wonderful place to live and visit.

Jenni DeFouw is the general manager for The Maui News.