#DEHA2027 · Judging
Chosen by the public. Verified by an independent jury.
Every DEHA winner is nominated by the public, backed by a public vote and scored by an independent jury against four published criteria. Here is how it works, step by step.
The process
From nomination to the stage in five steps
Every step leaves a record, so the results can be checked.
1 Feb – 31 Mar 2027
Nominated by the public
Anyone can nominate someone making a difference in Dorset, explaining their impact against the four criteria. The nominee confirms they are happy to be considered.
April 2027
Checked and shortlisted
Every nomination is checked against the eligibility rules, and finalists are shortlisted in each category.
10 May – 13 Jun 2027
Public vote
The public votes for the finalists online: one vote per person, per category, confirmed by email.
June – July 2027
Independent jury
Jurors declare any conflicts of interest, then score every finalist against the four criteria.
Sat 18 Sep 2027
Revealed on the night
The jury’s scores and the public vote are combined, and the winners are revealed on stage.
What the jury looks for
The four criteria
Each juror scores every finalist from 1 to 10 on each criterion, with a short written comment.
Impact
What measurable or meaningful difference has the nominee made?
Contribution
How significant and sustained is their contribution in Dorset?
Inspiration
Do they motivate others through leadership, service or excellence?
Sustainability
Is their impact likely to endure and keep benefiting communities?
The result
How the winner is decided
The split between the jury’s scores and the public vote will be published here before voting opens.
- The jury’s scores are combined with the public vote, and the jury verifies every winner.
- Running vote totals stay hidden until the ceremony.
- The jury chair signs off the final results before the night.
- Every vote and score is kept on record, so the results can be checked.
Integrity
A fair, transparent process
Jurors declare any conflict of interest before scoring and step aside from categories where they know a nominee. Final results combine the jury’s scores with the public vote.
Conflicts declared
Jurors declare any connection to a nominee before scoring and step aside where they know one.
Published criteria
Every finalist is scored against the same four criteria, published before nominations open.
Verified votes
Each vote is confirmed by email, with checks against bots and repeat voting.
A full record
Removed votes are logged with a reason, and every score is kept for audit.
The jury
The 2027 independent jury
Jury announced before judging begins
The 2027 jurors will be named here, each with a photo and a short biography, so you can see who is scoring the finalists.
Interested in serving on the jury? Get in touch
Questions answered
About judging
Who are the jurors?
Independent jurors, named on this page with a short biography before judging begins.
Can a juror score someone they know?
No. Jurors declare any conflict of interest before scoring and step aside from categories where they know a nominee.
Does the public vote decide the winner?
Not on its own. The public vote is combined with the independent jury’s scores, and the jury verifies every winner.
Can I see how the vote is going?
No. Running totals stay hidden until the ceremony, so early results can’t sway later voters.
How can I become a juror?
If you have experience in business, community or academia in Dorset and would like to help, get in touch through our contact page.
Nominate a hero
Know someone who deserves to be here?
Nominations open on 1 February 2027. Get a reminder and be ready to put forward the people who make Dorset stronger.