And the Ballot Goes On

Ready for more?

If you made it through last week's Best of Las Vegas ballot, which included the Eat & Drink and Locations categories, congratulations! Your name already is in the drawing for fantastic prizes (more on that later).

If you didn't, you have until 5 p.m. Monday to complete the first part of the three-part ballot. If you want to vote for a restaurant that is not in a hotel, you must tend to that first ballot, which appeared last week on Jan. 11, Monday and Wednesday in the newspaper and all week online at www.lvrj.com/bestoflv.

Because, now, dear readers, we are moving on. Today's ballot includes Hotels and Entertainment. If you want to vote for a restaurant that is in a hotel, this is the place.

But that's not all that can be found in the Hotels category. You have as many as 40 choices to make if you go out a lot. But don't feel bad if you're not such a social butterfly, consider yourself discerning and pick and choose what you like. We have everything from singers to showgirls, table games to football contests, architecture to attractions and, yes, yes, of course, cocktail waitresses.

The Entertainment category offers 19 possibilities, ranging from amusement rides, nightclubs and concert venues to sports teams, performing arts groups and local rock bands. If watching Vegas portrayed in the wider world is one of your favorite things, you'll want to fill out Best Use of Las Vegas in Movies or TV.

Today's ballot will be repeated in the newspaper on Monday and Wednesday and will appear online -- again at www.lvrj.com/bestoflv -- until 5 p.m. Jan. 26.

At that point, the ballot counters take over and you're on to the third -- and final -- installment of the 2009 Best of Las Vegas Ballot, which includes Shopping, Sports Spots, People and Best of the Worst. That ballot appears Jan. 25, with repeats on Jan. 26 and 28. The final, final deadline for newspaper ballots and online is Feb. 2. You can see the complete results on March 29.

Rehashing the rules: With so many ballots out there, there's no need to photocopy any, because we won't accept them. If you are rubbing your hands together in evil glee with thoughts of ballot stuffing on your mind, shame on you. We'll still catch you and rub you out. We want more reader participation, not cheater participation. On a nicer note, our counters appreciate legible ballots.

Most of all, don't forget to fill out your name and other vital info listed on the ballot because that is the entry form for our drawing for fantastic prizes. Here's the rundown: dinner for two in the Best Gourmet Restaurant not in a hotel, dinner for two in the Best Gourmet Restaurant in a hotel, lunch for two at the Best Place for a Power Lunch, two tickets to see the Best All-Around Performer, two tickets to see the Best Show and a gift certificate to the Best Mall. The most fantastic prize of them all is a night on the town, featuring a dinner, show and overnight stay at a local hotel.

See ballot on Pages 6 and 7