Our Voting

The NSMA voting process begins on October 15 each year, when members are emailed a link to an online ballot and asked to nominate up to five (5) people each for:

• state sportscaster of the year;
• state sportswriter of the year;
• national sportscaster of the year;
• national sportswriter of the year.

Nomination balloting ends on November 15.

For state awards, the top vote-getters (plus ties) are placed on the final ballot, along with those added by our voting committee. Depending on the size of membership in each state, a minimum number of votes must be reached to be placed on the final ballot.

For national awards, the top ten (10) vote-getters (plus ties) are placed on the final ballot.

NSMA Hall of Famers, staff, and consultants nominate Hall of Fame finalists, for which ten (10) names are placed on the final ballot in each category (sportscaster, sportswriter).

On December 1 of each year, NSMA members are emailed a link to the final ballot and have until December 31 to make their selections for their state, as well as national and Hall of Fame categories.

Because the ballots are online, the votes are tallied automatically.

Beginning the first week of January, all winners are notified by phone. A news release is sent out during the second week of January, announcing the full slate of award winners.

Winners receive their awards in late June during a ceremony in Winston-Salem, NC.

All sports media are eligible for our awards, though only NSMA members (lifetime, AIPS, premier) can vote. Members are not allowed to vote for themselves.