Newberry County’s cutest kids are asking for your votes.

The Newberry Observer’s first-ever “Cutest Kid” contest is now open for voting.

Anyone can vote and submissions for the contest also are still being accepted. The submission period for the contest began May 13 and voting begins today (Wednesday, June 1) and will run through Wednesday, June 15. Only those who have registered to be a part of the contest can vote and anyone can register to take part in this first-ever event. Registered contestants can vote up to five times each day through the end of the contest for their favorite photo(s).

As of Wednesday morning, there were 256 photos entered in the contest.

This interactive, dynamic and fun contest allows the newspaper’s readers to submit photos of their cute children at www.newberryobserver.com. To register for the contest, submit entries and vote on who you think is Newberry County’s cutest kid, just visit the paper’s Web site and click on the “Cutest Kid” contest link on the homepage. You will then be taken to another page where you can register.

Readers also are encouraged to invite friends and family — locally and worldwide — to vote for their child.

The kids getting the most votes in a host of categories from ages birth to 12 years have a chance at being crowned one of the county’s “Cutest Kids.”

The contest is sponsored by Stokes Trainor and Lindsay Furniture. Stokes Trainor is giving away a gift certificate for a complete car detail to one lucky winner and Lindsay Furniture will present another winner with a savings bond for an unnamed amount.

Entries are divided into categories based on the age of the child at the time of the contest — not at the time their photograph was taken. Categories are:

Newborn (0 months to 12 months)

Toddler (12 months to 24 months)

Two to four years old

Four to six years old

Six to nine years old

Nine to 12 years old

And just because voting has started doesn’t mean submissions aren’t being accepted. Participants can submit more than one photo, but no child may win more than one prize. Submissions for the “Cutest Kid” will continue to be taken through the end of the contest on June 15.

The person submitting photos must be a relative, parent or guardian who has the right to submit a photo of the child in question.

So do you think your child has what it takes to be Newberry County’s “Cutest Kid?”

If you do, submit their photo and then vote often.

You could not only walk away with a great prize but you would also win the bragging rights of having the cutest kid in Newberry County living at your house!