Best of Iron County - Timeline

How it works ...

Each year we ask the general public to nominate their favorites across 158 categories. All nominated businesses will move forward to the voting ballot, no matter how many times they’re nominated. During the voting phase each person can vote one time per day per category. After voting ends, results are published as a year-long reference for the community.

Nomination Phase

Jul 1st, 2026 at 12:00pm thru Jul 15th, 2026 at 5:00pm

It all starts with the Nomination Phase. In the Nomination Phase, the public submits their favorites for consideration in each category. It only takes one nomination to move onto the voting phase, so no need to nominate your favorite over and over again - one nomination is all it takes!

Voting Phase

Jul 22nd, 2026 at 12:00pm thru Aug 5th, 2026 at 5:00pm

After the Nomination Phase comes to a close, there is a brief pause for the nominees to be validated to ensure each nominee qualifies for their respective nominated category. Each member of the public can vote one time per day per category.

Winner Announced

Nov 4th, 2026 at 12:00pm

The votes are tabulated and the winners are selected based on the most votes. Winners will be reflected online for one year as a resource for the community.

Winner & Magazine Timeline

For winners and those who purchase a magazine ad, please see the timeline below for important dates and deadlines:

Winner Notification Due Date

Due Aug 28th, 2026 at 6:00pm

Non-disclosure agreements and winner questionnaires will be sent to all winners via email. Winners will be able to provide content and update contact information for themselves. Winners will also be able to see a preview of their free winner feature. Winners must submit their questionnaire by Aug 28th, 2026 at 6:00pm.

Magazine Ad Purchase Deadline

Ad purchases must be placed by Aug 28th, 2026 at 6:00pm

Various ad placements are available for purchase for this year's magazine. The ads must be purchased by Aug 28th, 2026 at 6:00pm in order to secure the spot for the magazine.

Looking for the magazine spec sheet? Click to download it

Content Due Date

Sep 4th, 2026 at 6:00pm

If you purchased a magazine ad, all images and ad copy must be submitted to the design team by Sep 4th, 2026 at 6:00pm.

Ad Approval Deadline

Magazine design due date is Sep 11th, 2026 at 6:00pm

For those who purchased a magazine ad, all magazine ads must be approved by Sep 11th, 2026 at 6:00pm. This date applies to ads being designed by our team or ads being provided to us camera ready.

Would you like to know more about Best of Iron County?

If you still have any questions on any part of the contest, please visit the Frequently Asked Questions page for more clarification on many parts of the contest.