The top three babies in this year’s Jamaica Observer Cutest Baby Photo Competition were chosen last week from a whopping 52,803 votes submitted by readers for the 122 babies whose parents/guardians entered them in the annual contest.

“That’s an all-time high for this competition, and we are absolutely delighted that our readers are so engaged in what is really a celebration of their children,” Jamaica Observer Head of Advertising, Marketing, and Communications Natalie Chin said yesterday, adding that on October 26, when the first round closed, entries were still being submitted by parents.

The babies that emerged as the top three from the weeks of heavy voting are KéJeanille Davidson, who received 7,945 votes; Keaton Small, 7,345; and Kenosha Atkinson, 2,780. They now move to the second round of the competition which is scheduled to close on Friday, November 23 at 1:00 pm after which the votes will be counted to determine the overall winner.

To vote, readers are asked to place a tick in the box associated with the photo of the baby published in the Observer at least three times weekly.

The page with the vote should be submitted to any of the Jamaica Observer’s offices in Kingston, Mandeville, Ocho Rios, or Montego Bay.

Prizes include $100,000 from The Observer; gift baskets courtesy of LASCO Distributors; a three-night/four-day stay for a family of four at Beaches Resorts; gift baskets courtesy of Kirk Distributors; gift certificates from Ammar’s; and a Prizm 43-inch smart TV from Appliance Traders Ltd.

Chin again thanked the competition’s sponsors for the attractive prizes which she said she had no doubt would be enjoyed and appreciated by the winners.

Last year, Rehia Hope from Linstead, St Catherine, won the competition, amassing 11,607 of the total 45,788 votes cast by the newspaper’s readers over the competition’s two stages.

Leah Paulton placed second with a total 4,671 votes, while Xander Simpson was third with 3,216 votes.