The America’s Favorite Small Towns Competition officially kicked off in mid-November, and hundreds of towns across the country are already rallying their communities in hopes of claiming the top spot.
If you’re looking for ways to encourage your residents, fans, and visitors to vote, here are a few proven tactics being used by towns currently leading the competition.
Social Media Posts to Encourage Voting
Social media has been one of the most effective tools for driving daily votes. Since community members can vote once per day, posting every few days on Instagram, Facebook, or LinkedIn serves as a helpful reminder without overwhelming followers.
Here are a few examples we’ve seen:
Mount Pleasant, SC shared an Instagram Reel encouraging followers to vote and support their town.
Madison, IN posted a static Instagram post featuring the America’s Favorite Small Towns badge along with an easy-to-remember Bitly link.
Monroe–West Monroe, LA reshared Steller’s weekly LinkedIn post highlighting participating towns. Steller publishes these posts weekly and tags submitted towns, making it an easy way to remind followers to cast their daily vote.
Press Releases to Rally Local Pride
Local pride runs deep in small towns, and many residents are eager to support their community. A press release is a simple and effective way to announce participation in the competition and explain how people can vote.
Danville, KY announced their entry through a local press release and has remained one of the top-performing towns since.
Blog Posts and Newsletters to Engage Subscribers
Your email list is another powerful channel for driving votes. Many towns have shared blog posts or newsletter updates asking subscribers to participate and vote daily.
Madison, IN, which used a blog post to explain the competition and encourage community engagement:
Feature the America’s Favorite Small Towns Badge on Your Website
Several towns have added the America’s Favorite Small Towns badge directly to their website with a clear call to action encouraging visitors to vote.
You can right-click the badge image to download it and place it prominently on your site.
How to Vote
Voters are now invited to help choose the small towns that help define America by visiting https://americasfavoritesmalltowns.parade.com/ through early spring 2026. Participants can show support for their favorite small towns by casting one vote per day.
To participate, simply select the town’s region and state, and enter a valid email address. Each vote not only boosts exposure for the small town but also enters the voter for a chance to win a trip valued up to $1,500.
How Voting Helps Small Towns
Every vote cast will help a small town in their quest for the title of America’s Favorite and increase their exposure to over 130 million potential travelers through Parade.com, Steller.co, and their combined social channels.
Small Towns Can Still Enter the Competition
Any town with a population under 250,000 can still enter the America’s Favorite Small Towns Competition between now and January 2026, at https://favoritesmalltowns.awardsplatform.com/. States, Destination Marketing Organizations, Convention and Visitor Bureaus, and any Chamber of Commerce may enter on behalf of their communities.
What’s Next in the America’s Favorite Small Towns Competition
Voting will determine the small towns that advance to the final round, which will be announced in early spring. Each finalist will be featured in Parade’s “Favorite Small Towns in America” special print issue and across Parade and Steller’s digital and social channels. A winner will be announced from each state on June 1, 2026, and the national winner will be announced on June 12, 2026.
The ultimate winning town will receive:
- Free advertising placement in a Parade special print issue.
- The ability to promote the achievement with the ”Favorite Small Town in America” badge and signage.
- A Parade x Steller activation at the winning town’s July 4th celebration, complete with potential celebrity appearances, sponsor giveaways, and national media coverage.
