It is time to have a little fun as we roll out the Leader’s new “Best of Michiana” contest.

This year we have a few new lifestyle categories to make it even more fun. At least one is a little bit on the edge, although my staff assures me our readers are not easily offended. If you are, please don’t call me. Instead, call Katie Rohman!

To ensure better accuracy, this year’s ballot will be done primarily online.

While I know there are many of you who do not have computers, it will make for a better contest.

We have spoken to the area libraries and all said that they have computers available for you to utilize free of charge.

We will also set up a station in our Niles office.

Plus, when placing your ballot online, you will have an opportunity to win one of 10 prizes from some of last year’s winners.

If you really are anti-computer, we will have the ballot in the July 30 Leader. Those ballots will need to be delivered to our Niles office or be postmarked Aug. 10 to be eligible. Voting online will continue through Aug. 17.

This year, we will be looking for overall best of selections as opposed to trying to pick the best of each village and city in Leaderland. The exception will be the restaurant category.

Expect a much nicer print companion featuring the winners with a little more detail. That will appear in Off the Water on Aug. 31 and in the Leader on Sept. 3.

We are making our final adjustments to the contest as I type and expect to be alive today.

Just go to any of our websites or our Facebook fan pages and click on the contest button and link to “Leader’s Best of Michiana” to register and make your selections.