BoBC nominations open Monday

SANDPOINT — Who is the best?

That's the question being posed to Bonner County residents as the 2026 Best of Bonner County gets underway next week. Community residents will be able to nominate their favorite business, residents and nonprofits in a host of categories as the nomination period opens at midnight Monday, June 1, and closes at 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, June 17.

Nominations are being sought in everything from health, beauty and wellness to shopping, entertainment and leisure to home, automotive and dining — giving community residents a chance to shout out their favorites. The nominations are the first stage of a multi-phase process designed to showcase the many great people and businesses that call Bonner County home.

Voting in a wide range of categories will then follow. In total, there are 205 categories. Polls will open for final voting on June 22, at 12:01 a.m. and close on July 17, at 11:55 p.m. Winners will be announced at the end of August in the Best of Bonner County special publication.

To nominate someone for Best of Bonner County 2026, go online to bit.ly/4dymSTm

The people’s choice contest gives community members a chance to vote for their favorite restaurants, real estate agents, physical therapists, heating and air conditioning companies, coffee joints, hair stylists and more, Kari Packer, Hagadone News Network regional ad director, said.

"Best of Bonner County is an opportunity for our community to celebrate our local businesses. Business owners do so much for our communities and deserve to be recognized," Packer said. “This is our chance to recognize all they do and showcase the many great businesses and community members who make our county special"

During the nomination process, the community can log onto the platform and nominate businesses in each category. The Best of Bonner County also wants to recognize the people working at our businesses for their service and dedication. The top 5 nomination recipients for each category will move onto the final ballot.

"This is an important part of the process because it ensures the business finalists are nominated in the appropriate category and that they have a business located in Bonner County," Packer said.

"Our role is to be a vehicle for the community's voice. The platform enables us to monitor unfair voting participation. The contest results should 100% reflect the voice of the community."

The Bee is honored and excited to launch the Best of Bonner County 2026 and look forward to sharing the results with the community at the end of August.