Here’s an election where researching the candidates can be a lot of fun.

That’s right, it is time to once again pick the Best of Lawrence. Voting in the contest, which is sponsored by Lawrence.com, starts March 1 and runs through March 31.

Click here to cast your Best of Lawrence vote, starting March 1.

That means you’d better get your researching skills ready. For instance, you’re going to have to determine a winner between all the candidates for Best Place for a Margarita. (Your right hand is not an eligible vote, by the way.) If that is the type of research that leaves you with a headache — and it has been known to do so — there are plenty of other categories to consider. In all, we’re asking for your opinion on 160 different topics.

We’ll give you a chance to vote on your favorite restaurants and dishes. There’s even a category this year for Best Secret Menu. What’s a secret menu? Well, duh, we can’t tell you. There’s a whole host of options to vote for your favorite retailers and your favorite service providers, too. That means barbers, bartenders, plumbers and some that you may not think of — like Best Acupuncturist. (The winner is sure to be on pins and needles.)

Speaking of winners, they’ll be announced at a special event on June 18, and the Best of Lawrence magazine will hit newsstands on June 21. But before we can announce the winners, you need to do your duty and vote. Last year more than 8,000 people helped us determine the Best of Lawrence, and this year it will be even easier to vote. Just go to Lawrence.com and look for the Best of Lawrence icon. Voting can be done in stages, which means you can start to fill out your ballot, stop to go do some research, and come back at your leisure to finish it.

So, get out there. Find the Best Family Doctor, find the Best Golf Course (ask the doctor, I hear they do quite a bit of research on the subject), and, of course, the Best Place to Watch a Game.

Oh, the chores of research.