Auto Focus People\'s Choice Awards to kick off July 1st

Sunshine Television, the producer of motoring TV show Auto Focus, is set to launch the 2013-2014 edition of the People\'s Choice Awards, the country\'s only award-giving system for the automotive industry that recognizes the winning models based on the number of online public votes as well as unit sales.

According to STV, the online poll provides the public a direct hand in determining the winners, while the sales component recognizes the individual car owner\'s ultimate expression of choice. For the total score, 40% will be based on the online poll and 60% will be based on unit sales.

STV chairman and chief executive Ray Butch Gamboa added that the online poll, which will be hosted on a dedicated page of a popular networking site, will allow registered voters to vote once a week instead of just a single time.

\"This provides participants with multiple opportunities to vote whichever way they choose,\" Gamboa added. \"Before, there were voters who wanted to select more than one model as their pick for a particular category or award. Now, they can more readily opt for several picks instead of just one throughout the course of the online poll.\"

For unit sales, STV will work with Stradcom Corporation \"to create and use a database of new motor vehicles reported as sold by dealers\" and submitted to the LTO regional and district offices.

The major change being implemented this year is the reclassification of the vehicles in their correct categories. Through the years, Gamboa noticed that some car companies would nominate certain vehicle models in the wrong category, presumably because said category didn\'t offer stiff competition, thus presenting the best opportunity to win.

The 2013-2014 Auto Focus People\'s Choice Awards will run from July 1 to September 30, with the awards nights--and the revelation of the winner of the highly coveted \"Automobile of the Year\" happening on October 18.

Which car (or cars) will you be voting for?