The BEST OF SPRINGFIELD was a fresh idea in 1982 when we first asked our readers to identify the best burger in town. In the 27 editions since then we’ve worked to keep it fresh by shaking up categories, asking different questions. As you’ll see over the next 30 pages, there’s plenty to celebrate about the individuals and businesses that call central Illinois home. How we do it: The ballot was available online and in print for two full weeks. There were 2,500 voters who participated but fewer than 100 used the paper ballot. The best thing about the online balloting is the votes are tallied automatically – and we’re able to confirm one vote per e-mail address – so no one is able to stack the deck for any nominee.

The BEST OF SPRINGFIELD was a fresh idea in 1982 when we first asked our readers to identify the best burger in town. In the 27 editions since then we’ve worked to keep it fresh by shaking up categories, asking different questions. As you’ll see over the next 30 pages, there’s plenty to celebrate about the individuals and businesses that call central Illinois home. How we do it: The ballot was available online and in print for two full weeks. There were 2,500 voters who participated but fewer than 100 used the paper ballot. The best thing about the online balloting is the votes are tallied automatically – and we’re able to confirm one vote per e-mail address – so no one is able to stack the deck for any nominee.