The Daily Leader needs your help discovering the best in Brookhaven and Lincoln County and your opinions could earn you a $250 cash prize.

The 2018 Reader’s Choice Best of the Best contest is underway. Readers will find a ballot in today’s edition of The Daily Leader on page 6A and in future editions of the newspaper through the end of the contest.

Deadline for entries is at 5 p.m. Oct. 5.

Only ballots printed in The Daily Leader will qualify for entry in the drawing for the cash prize, although voters can also pick their favorites in an online survey located at the top The Daily Leader’s homepage at www.dailyleader.com.

Readers choose their favorites from a list of more than 100 categories such as best bank teller, best pharmacist, best restaurant and best teacher. Businesses and individuals nominated must work and operate within Lincoln County to be counted.

The Business of the Year will also be selected. When voting for the business you consider to be above all the rest, look at their service, the helpfulness of employees and the business history.

In 2017, that distinction went to Hall and Company.

“We were so honored to be chosen as best business of the year,” said owner Matt Hall. “We do everything possible to make sure our customer satisfaction is at its highest because they are who we are here to serve and I believe that is the key.

“We focus on buying new products for our store that you aren’t going to see at other stores and buy as many artisan-based products and local and regional food products to have available. I think customers appreciate that we support other locals through these efforts.”

The fourth annual “Best of Brookhaven/Lincoln County” contest will honor all first place winners with a certificate declaring they are the best — as voted on by readers — in their respective categories. The top two in each category will also be featured in a special publication to be included in The Daily Leader.

To be eligible to win the cash, there are a few simple rules to follow:

• No copies of ballots will be accepted. It must be a ballot printed in The Daily Leader. Free ballots are available at the newspaper office at 128 North Railroad Ave. in Brookhaven.

• Name and address must be legibly printed for the ballot to be counted as valid.

• Ballot must be at least halfway filled in to be considered “complete.”