Nominations Now Open for Florida Netroots Awards

Kenneth Quinnel sent out an email that nominations for the Florida Netroots Awards are now open. Kenneth explains the rules and the categories. Email your votes to quinnelk@hotmail.com.

We are now accepting nominations for the 2008 Netroots Awards, sponsored by the Florida Democratic Party Netroots Coalition. The purpose of our second annual awards is to recognize the best and brightest of the progressive/liberal/Democratic Netroots and blogs. Between now and Sunday, May 25, please nominate your favorites in the categories below. You can nominate one person in one category or multiple people in every category, that's up to you. In the end, we will narrow the lists down to the top people in each category and offer a final voting period to determine the winners. The final winners will be announced at the Netroots Conference at the Florida Democratic Party Jefferson-Jackson Weekend in Hollywood on June 14 (and then announced online). Before voting, please observe the following rules:

1. No one can win the same award two years in a row. Last year's winners will be excluded from the category they won last year.
2. The nominees in each category must be based in Florida and they shouldn't be Republicans.
3. Anyone can nominate anyone (you can nominate yourself) and you don't have to be a Floridian to nominate anyone.

If you have questions, send me and e-mail at quinnelk@hotmail.com. Here are the categories (with a brief description and last year's winner, who, again, is ineligible to win this year):

1. Best National Blog (Last year: Blast Off!): Blogs written by Floridians that covers primarily national politics.

2. Best State Blog (Last year: FLA Politics): Blogs about statewide politics in Florida.

3. Best Local Blog (Last year: Tampa Bay Blue): Blogs about city/county/regional politics in the state of Florida.

4. Best Media Blog (Last year: The Buzz): Blogs written by professional journalists at Florida publications.

5. Best Professional Blog (Last year: Miami-Dade Dems): Blogs written by state or local political parties, candidates or party operatives in Florida.

6. Best Party Website (Last year: Draft Katherine Harris): Best Florida-wide website associated with a political party or political party unit (such as a caucus or coalition).

7. Best Candidate Website (Last year: Chris Chiari): Anyone running for statewide or local office in Florida can win this one.

8. Best Local Party Website (Last year: Nassau Democratic Party): This one is for Florida DECs, clubs or local chapters of statewide caucuses or coalitions.

9. Best Interest Group Website (Amateur) (Last year: Space Coast Progressive Alliance): Any Florida-based nonparty activist, charitable or grassroots group with an annual budget under $100,000 is eligible for this one.

10. Best Interest Group Website (Professional) (Last year: New category): Any Florida-based nonparty activist, charitable or grassroots group with an annual budget over $100,000 is eligible for this one.

11. Best Writer (Last year: Litbrit): Anyone whose writings is published at any of the above websites is eligible for this one. Winners should have one or more of the following qualities: good grammar and presentation, provides original reporting, has a good sense of humor, shows creativity, has a strong personal touch, or has an affect on the real world because of their writing

12. Netroots Candidate of the Year (Last year: Michael Calderin): The Florida candidate at any level who has best incorporated the Netroots into her/his campaign and done the best job of treating Netroots activists as valid constituents and not just another group of people to exploit.

13. Netroots Activist of the Year (Last year: Susan Smith): The individual who has done the most to advance the goals and activities of the progressive Netroots in the state of Florida.

14. Netroots Organization of the Year (Last year: Florida Progressive Coalition): The organization that has done the most to advance the goals and activities of the progressive Netroots in the state of Florida.

15. Best New Blogger (Last year: New category): This one should go to the best blogger who has been blogging about Florida politics for no more than a year and a half.

16. Best Online Campaign (Last year: New category): This is an award for the best use of the web and related technologies to achieve some kind of goal, such as fundraising, fighting legislation or other activism.

17. Best Post (Last year: New Category): The best-written post since last year's awards.

18. Best Ongoing Series (Last year: New Category): The best regular feature that incorporates at least five posts since last year's awards.

19. Best Grassroots Website (Last year: New Category): The best website devoted to supporting a candidate, organization or issue that is created by amateur supporters for little to no money and without official connection to a party, candidate or interest group (at least initially).

20. Florida Progressive Coalition Progressive Hall of Fame (Last year: New Category): FPC is sponsoring a virtual "Progressive Hall of Fame" that should be awarded as sort of a lifetime achievement award to a person or organization (amateur or professional) that has made a significant contribution towards making Florida a bluer, more progressive state. This award may have more than one recipient.