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The ballots are in, and not a hanging chad in the bunch | Jump to results
There are times in a democracy when, no matter how hard you try, you can't get everyone to agree on something. Know what I mean?
Well, we consider our Audience Readers' Poll to be very democratic when it comes to asking people for their favorites in a variety of food and fun areas. And the results this year bear that out.
There were some extremely tight races this year, the 21st year of our annual poll. Yes, there was a winner in each category, but in several cases, not by much. There is a healthy debate among Mainers about their favorite places to eat, or dance, or hang out. And debate is a good thing.
Take, for instance, our best pizza category. People who swear that Portland Pie Co. has the best pizza in the world will see that their fave lost to perennial winner Ricetta's this year by just two votes 219 to 217. First, fans of both pizza places should know that, of the 2,274 votes cast, only 113 were on paper ballots. The rest were online. So we don't have any hanging chads or butterfly ballots to deal with, like our friends in Florida back in 2000.
Second, you should look at this as a good thing for everyone. When people browse our poll and see a very close race, where the top two finishers both got significant votes, it's sort of like there are two winners. It means you have two local places in the category that have won approval from their customers, so they're probably both worth checking out.
In fact, in some categories, we had three or four places with similar vote totals. Take the pizza category again: Flatbread Co., down on Portland's waterfront, was a strong third-place finisher with 188 votes.
In the best bakery category, Standard Baking Co. on Commercial Street in Portland was a clear winner, with a 151 votes compared with the second-place finisher, Foley's, with 99. But then things got bunched up with Big Sky Bread Co. of Portland in third with 92 votes, and Grant's Bakery of Lewiston with 90. Lots of baked goods choices there.
The best beer category was also a pretty close race, with Shipyard beating Gritty McDuff's, 235 to 221. Both are based in Portland.
The poll is a resource, really, a guide to a wide variety of Maine recreation and leisure ideas. Categories this year included best lobster roll, restaurant, cheap eats, bar, beer, coffee, dance club, singer, band, beach, day trip, skiing, sledding hill, and radio personalilty, among others. We couldn't do this poll, of course, without the people who vote. So each year we pick three people at random from the eligible voters and award them cash prizes. This year the winners are: Elaine M. Harper of South Portland, $100; Robin Johnston of North Yarmouth, $50; and Bonnie Brooks of Portland, $25.
Dishin' It Out
Get This Party Started
Get Out And Play
Ones To Watch
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