Community Corner

Readers' Choice Awards Official Rules

Here are the official rules for the Patch Readers' Choice awards.

Patch’s Readers’ Choice Awards Official Rules

No Purchase Required to Participate

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Eligibility:  The Patch’s Readers’ Choice Awards (the “Program”) is open only to businesses (“Entrants”) that have been selected by Patch’s editorial team based on recommendations from Patch’s local correspondents who live and work in the cities/communities they cover, as well as Patch’s own editorial insights, and user nominations/feedback.  The Program is subject to all federal, state and local laws and regulations.  Void where prohibited by law.

Sponsor:  The Program is sponsored by Patch Media Corporation, 675 Avenue of the Americas, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10010 (“Sponsor”).

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Agreement to Official Rules:  Participation in the Program constitutes Entrant’s full and unconditional agreement to and acceptance of these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor, which are final and binding.

Public Voting:  The dates and times for each public Voting Period will be listed on the applicable Patch site.  Web users are invited to go their local Patch site, log-in and vote once for each category during the Voting Period for each listed category.  Limit one (1) vote per person per category per Patch site for the duration of the Voting Period.  All voting will be under the supervision of the Sponsor whose decisions are final in all matters relating to this Program. Any voting results posted in real time shall not be deemed official until Sponsor has reviewed and confirmed all of the votes and announced the Program Winners.   

Qualified and eligible votes submitted during the Voting Period will be tallied, thereby ranking the nominees in each category on the applicable Patch site.  

The business with the most verified votes will be declared the Readers’ Choice Winner for that category on the applicable Patch site. In the event of a tie, the Local Editor will decide the winner by counting the number of positive comments from readers in the Readers' Choice survey story that were made during the voting period and award it to the business that has the higher total number. 

Winners will receive the honor of being named the Readers’ Choice Winner on their local Patch site for a period of time to be determined by Patch.  There is no monetary prize associated with this award.

General Conditions:  Any use of agencies or robotic, repetitive, automatic, programmed or similar voting methods or agents will void all votes by that person.  In the event that the operation, security, or administration of the Program is impaired in any way for any reason, including, but not limited to fraud, virus, or other technical problem, the Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, suspend the Program to address the impairment and then resume the Program in a manner that best conforms to the spirit of these Official Rules.  The Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the voting process or the operation of the Program or to be acting in violation of these Official Rules or in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner.  Any attempt by any person to undermine the legitimate operation of the Program may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, the Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law.  The Sponsor’s failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision.

Release and Limitations of Liability:  By participating in the Program, Entrants agree to release and hold harmless Sponsor from and against any claim or cause of action arising out of participation in the Program or receipt or use of any award, including, but not limited to: (a) unauthorized human intervention in the Program; (b) technical errors related to computers, servers, providers, or telephone or network lines; (c) printing errors; (d) lost, late, postage-due, misdirected, or undeliverable mail; (e) errors in the administration of the Program or the processing of entries; or (f) injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from Entrant’s participation in the Program or receipt of any award.  Entrant further agrees that in any cause of action, the Sponsor’s liability will be limited to the cost of entering and participating in the Program, and in no event shall the Sponsor be liable for attorney’s fees.  Entrant waives the right to claim any damages whatsoever, including, but not limited to, punitive, consequential, direct, or indirect damages.

Disputes:  Except where prohibited, Entrant agrees that any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of, or connected with, the Program or any award given shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by the appropriate court located in the Commonwealth of Virginia.  All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, Entrant’s rights and obligations, or the rights and obligations of the Sponsors in connection with the Program, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules (whether of the Commonwealth of Virginia or any other jurisdiction), which would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the Commonwealth of Virginia.


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