The city was selected as a finalist last Thursday morning for a chance at the second season of Deluxe Corp.'s Small Business Revolution — Main Street. Voting started immediately for the contestants for a chance at a prize that would bring funding, technical aid and physical improvements — along with the national exposure — to their downtowns.
Last year, some 180,000 votes were cast for the two finalists. With five this time around, the total number of votes three days into the competition has already surpassed that number.
Deluxe is not releasing the ongoing tallies, but on Sunday night posted the standings for the first three days with this tease: "Hint: the race is tight and it's still anyone's game."
After three days, Bristol Borough, Pa., was in the lead, followed by Red Wing, Mn., North Adams, Georgetown, S.C., and Kingsburg, Calif.
Keith Bona had early on pointed to Bristol Borough as a tough competitor based on its proximity to Philadelphia and larger-market news broadcasters. The team behind the city's Small Business Revolution nomination has been reaching out far and wide to celebrities and markets that can help raise North Adams' profile to lock in votes.
The band Wilco, which make North Adams its home for the Solid Sound Festival every other summer, has taken up the cause on through its social media. Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art is also using its extensive contacts to drum up support.
The city is working to get the attention of New England icons including The New England Patriots organization and players, actress and nearby Pittsfield, Mass.-native Elizabeth Banks, and U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, with hopes that they will do the same. Former Gov. Jane Swift, a North Adams native, has shared the voting call with her Facebook friends.
Television stations in the Albany, N.Y., market, however, apparently have been hesitant to provide coverage for the effort, unlike those in the Philadelphia area.
In the midst of Sunday's blizzard, a few dozen hardy supporters made their way to Main Street to stage a "snow angel" flash mob to get people talking about the contest.
"We reached out to Wabash, Ind., who won the contest last year," said Mayor Richard Alcombright in a statement. "We know they came from behind to win it on the last day of the contest — fueled largely by social media asks of major Indiana politicians and athletes. ...
"We may be in third place today, but don't count us out yet. If there's anything we know how to do in New England, it's make a historic comeback."
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The local team is encouraging the voting link be shared with family, friends, former residents and other interested in North Adams' success. Share stories using #MyNorthAdams.
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