The midterm elections won’t be decided until this fall, but a far more important election will soon open for voting.

AY About You’s “Best Of” reader’s poll, a comprehensive list of the best Arkansas has to offer, will open for voting Feb. 16 and continue through March 11. During that time, thousands of votes will be cast across hundreds of categories to name the state’s “Best Of,” as determined by the general public.

“Our ‘Best Of’ reader’s poll has continued to get bigger and better every year,” said Dwain Hebda, editor-in-chief of AY Media Group. “People in Arkansas are fiercely loyal to their favorite restaurants, physicians, retailers and many other service providers, and we give them a chance to promote those favorites. The response we get is truly overwhelming which is what makes this poll so eagerly anticipated every year.”

Reader nominations completed in January, after which the field was narrowed to the top five in every category. After the voting period concludes, the top three candidates will earn the coveted “Best Of” title in their respective field and those winners will be published in the May issue of AY About You magazine. The top vote-getters in each category will receive additional recognition, with publication in the June edition.

To vote, log on to aymag.com starting Feb. 16. Individuals may cast one vote per day, across any or all categories, per email address.

Heather Baker, president and publisher of AY Media Group, said the “Best Of” badge awarded in every category has become a cherished designation for companies, organizations and individuals throughout Arkansas.

“Our ‘Best Of’ designation goes to only the very top percentage of each category,” Baker said. “The eventual winners are the very, very best at what they do, voted on by the most important audience there is: their customers and the general buying public.

“This makes AY About You’s ‘Best Of’ badge a real prize and why so many of the companies and organizations that win it proudly display it in their places of business, in advertising, even on delivery and service vehicles. AY About You’s ‘Best Of’ designation is something that cannot be purchased; the only way to get it is by the vote of the general public in our reader’s poll.”

Special marketing opportunities are once again being made available to AY About You’s “Best Of” finalists to help them mobilize their employees and customers during the voting period. Baker encouraged all the top five finalist companies, nonprofits and individuals to act quickly to take advantage of these limited-time opportunities by contacting their AY Media Group account representative or reach her directly at hbaker@aymag.com for information on enhanced listings, print and online ads and more.

“These special marketing opportunities are not only an excellent way to remind customers and employees to vote daily but are also an outstanding way to reach new customers,” Baker said. “As our current statistics show, AY About You reaches over 3 million readers a month between our print and digital platforms and more than 80 percent of readers looking for a new restaurant, bar or service provider read the magazine for recommendations. Companies that use us as part of their marketing get noticed.”

This field of finalists for AY About You’s “Best Of” 2026 are: