Deadline extended!
We've had an unprecedented number of votes come in through our online ballot this year. It's saved us tons o' time in the compilation process, and we're passing the savings on to you! The voting deadline (for both paper and electronic ballots) is now extended to midnight Wednesday night, March 31, 2004.

Ye Olde Rules: Reader's Digest Version

One ballot per person.

All ballots submitted online must include your name, address, phone number, and e-mail address.

All ballots must be in by midnight Wednesday night, March 31, 2004.

A note on ballot-stuffing: Please don't. And if you do something like hand out ballots with your menus or give away chocolate smoothies to everyone who fills out a ballot at your store, don't be surprised if we mention it in the Best of Knoxville issue.

Ye Olde Rules: The Director's Cut

1. No purchase necessary. Current contest ballots are available free of charge, while supplies last, in each week's copy of Metro Pulse March 4-25, 2004. Metro Pulse papers can be picked up for free at over 450 locations in and around Knoxville, as well as at the Metro Pulse office at 505 Market Street, Suite 300, Knoxville Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., except on holidays. The ballot and rules are also on line at www.metropulse.com beginning Monday, March 8, 2004.

2. Only one ballot per person will be allowed. Photocopying a completely blank ballot and then filling it out is acceptable. Metro Pulse has the right to disqualify any ballot that has been filled out in any way, and then photocopied and mailed in, even if the similar ballots have different names and address accompanying them. All ballots MUST include your name, address and phone number. Other info is optional, but we would like for you to complete it. All ballots must be in by midnight Wednesday night, March 31, 2004.

3. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, at any time during the balloting and contesting, Metro Pulse and the sponsors may, at their discretion, cancel or accelerate the game. Metro Pulse reserves the right to correct typographical errors.

4. Void where prohibited. Participants must be 18 or older. Employees, agents, and/or independent contractors of Metro Pulse, Label Industries, Destination Motor Cycles, The Foundry, and any other primary sponsors, and their immediate families are not eligible. By claiming a prize, winners consent to publication of their name and/or likeness without compensation.

5. Taxes are the responsibility of winners, and are not a responsibility of Metro Pulse or any sponsors. Obtaining and paying for tags, titles, license, all taxes, insurance, etc., for the Vespa etc is not the responsibility of Metro Pulse or any sponsor. The winner is responsible if he/she keeps the prize. If the winner chooses not to keep the prize, the responsibilities mentioned above still lie with the winner unless he/she reaches an agreement with a third party. Metro Pulse nor any sponsor will be responsible for the above mentioned details at that point, either.

6. All prize claims are subject to validation by Metro Pulse, whose decisions are final.

7. Metro Pulse, nor any contest sponsors are responsible for lost, delayed, or misdirected mail or entries.

8. Metro Pulse, Cardinal Enterprises, nor any contest sponsor will be liable or responsible for any damage to the Vespa, or any bodily damage or injuries to the Vespa winner, any other passenger who may ride the Vespa, or any property or structural damage once the winner is determined.

9. To become a qualifier for the Best of Knoxville Vespa Giveaway, contestants/readers must first fill out at least 2/3 of the 2004 Best of Knoxville ballot (70 categories completed). No ballot will be accepted for contest or final tally results if less that 70 categories are filled out. If more than 70 are completed, that is entirely acceptable.

10. Readers/voters must fill out a ballot from the paper, or photocopy the ballot per the rules in rule #2 above. Readers may also submit their ballot on line at www.metropulse.com beginning Monday, March 8, 2004. All ballots must be received by the Metro Pulse office by midnight Wednesday night, March 31, 2004.

11. Three weekly qualifiers will be randomly selected each week from the pool of ballots that have met the requirements of the contest. This will take place between March 10-30, 2004. This will make for a pool if 12 qualifiers. Each person who qualifies will win a qualifying prize, and will be automatically qualified for the grand prize reverse drawing at the Best Of party on April 30, 2004. All qualifiers will be notified that they have been selected within three days of their name being drawn. If Metro Pulse is not able to contact the qualifier(s) through the information provided by the qualifier(s), Metro Pulse nor any sponsor is responsible at that point for the qualifier being informed of their status in the contest if all contacts given were exhausted. The person is disqualified at that point if they do not contact Metro Pulse in advance of the drawing, and not other qualifier will be selected in this person's place.

12. Beginning April 1, 2004, The Vespa will be displayed at various businesses around town, as well as live music events. Since the ballot will be off the street, and its deadline passed, people can register their name for a chance to become one of the two qualifiers who will be randomly chosen at the end of each week from each respective business' registration box. This will give a total of 8 more qualifiers for the contest. Three other names will be randomly selected from registration boxes at the weekly Sundown in the City concerts on Market Square (April 8, 15, 22, 29, 2004), and one name will be drawn from the registration box at the Rossini Festival April 17, 2004. This will make for a total of 5 more qualifiers, bringing the total to 25 total qualifiers for the final contest. Metro Pulse, nor any sponsor is responsible for any damage done to the Vespa, or to anybody who causes the Vespa fall over while on display. A person can only become a qualifier one time, and if they qualified through ballot registration, they cannot qualify through the in-store registration, and vice-versa.

13. All 25 qualifiers (or all that Metro Pulse could contact) must be present at the grand prize reverse drawing the night of April 30, 2004 at The Foundry to be eligible to win the Vespa, and to receive their qualifying prize. If the qualifier cannot attend the event, he/she may allow someone to substitute/stand-in for them at the reverse drawing. The qualifier must notify Metro Pulse of this stand-in by Wednesday, April 28, 2004, unless your name is chosen at the last Sundown in the City on April 29, 2004. The April 29 Sundown qualifier will have until noon the following day to inform Metro Pulse of your stand-in. The original qualifier will be the winner of the prize, and any deals you may work out with your substitute is in no way connected with Metro Pulse or any sponsors. Metro Pulse nor any sponsors are responsible for any deals that might be made between and final qualifiers, as well.

14. The winner of the Vespa will be determined through the reverse drawing at the event. The winner may be asked to sign a waiver form that evening handing all Vespa responsibilities over to the declared winner. The winner will be responsible for transporting the Vespa home after the Best of Party on April 30, 2004.

15. The list of rules will displayed on the Metro Pulse web site, and copies are available at the Metro Pulse office at 505 Market Street, Knoxville.

On to the ballot!