2027 Alaska awards

Calendar

Nominations: January 1 to April 30, 2027, in all 50 states and DC. Licenses and insurance are checked as nominations arrive, and the ballot locks April 30. May 1: finalists are named and receive a campaign kit. Voting: August 15 to October 15 at 11:59pm Eastern, a hard close. Results are audited October 16 to 31. November 1 at 9am Eastern: winners are announced.

The badge

Winners of the 2027 contest receive the 2028 Top of the Trades Winner badge and carry it through December 31, 2028.

When voting opens

A trade gets a vote in this state, and later in a county, once it has at least five verified nominees there. Fewer than five, no vote and no award for that trade this year. A category also needs at least 25 votes to produce a winner, and every result shows its vote count.

Voting

One vote per household per category, tied to a verified email. Each voter casts five ballots: one in a trade they choose and four picked at random near them. Voters may only vote for a business that serves their county. If voting is down for more than 24 hours, the close moves back by the length of the outage.

Fair play

Finalists may ask customers to vote once voting opens. Paying, discounting or rewarding anyone for a vote, or voting on a customer's behalf, disqualifies the business, and the disqualification is recorded on its profile. Sponsors cannot win the category they sponsor. Paid plans have no effect on eligibility or outcome.

Appeals

Any finalist may appeal a result between November 1 and 15. A different reviewer decides, and any correction is dated and kept on the record.