The voting period for the 2009 Honolulu Advertiser 'Ilima Awards honoring local restaurants begins today. See the ballot inside this section or vote online.

As we do every year, we've changed up the procedures in response to reader feedback and in an effort to see that deserving restaurants are considered.

We're asking Advertiser readers to make a decision on key choices: Best Restaurant, Best New Restaurant, Best Casual Dining and Best Fine Dining.

Other winners will be named by votes of our in-house food experts — restaurant critics Wanda Adams and Kawehi Haug and writers and editors from our Metromix reporting crew.

And, because the 'Ilima Awards event is a benefit for Diamond Head Theatre, theater-goers participated in a preliminary voting period during the run of the last DHT show, casting ballots for restaurants they like to visit before and after the show.

Find a print ballot inside this section, with rules and balloting instructions.

Or vote online at: http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/current/il/ilima.

Voting will be held through July 15.

You can vote only once, and you may not vote for any restaurant more than once.

'Ilima winners will be formally announced in our free annual magazine, Hawai'i's Best Restaurants, Oct. 9.

The winners will also be honored at the 'Ilima Awards gala Oct. 12.

For information on gala tickets, call Diamond Head Theatre: 733-0277.