How to nominate a holiday display for a prestigious contest award?
As visitors of Big Red Bulb browse holiday displays, they will see a “Nominate for an Award” button on each one. If a display is part of a community that is running a contest they may cast a vote!
Each community sets its own contest rules, so the voting experience can vary.
For example:
- Voting might be allowed once per day, once per season, or once per award.
- Some contests may require voters to confirm they’ve seen the display in person.
- Contest may also limit voting for certain awards to specific postal code areas.
The system will automatically check all of these conditions and guide users through the right voting process based on the contest’s rules. Contests are only active during the community’s season. In other words, voting is not allowed out of season.
This voting approach leads to the best contest results because it strikes a balance between accessibility and fairness. By allowing users to vote directly from display pages via the “Nominate for an Award” button, the system encourages real-time engagement and excitement. At the same time, tying eligibility to active community contests ensures that votes are only counted when they’re relevant—during the designated contest season. This prevents vote inflation or manipulation outside of the appropriate timeframe, maintaining the integrity of each competition.
Additionally, giving each community control over its own contest rules allows for localized flexibility, which is key to fair and meaningful outcomes. Communities can tailor rules to fit their size, geography, and participation levels—for example, requiring in-person visits to prevent fraudulent votes, or limiting certain awards to voters in specific postal codes. This ensures that contests reflect genuine community sentiment and participation, not just online popularity. The system’s automatic enforcement of these rules removes confusion and creates a seamless, trustworthy experience for voters and organizers alike.
