Any current professional member of the IBMA may make nominations for the International Bluegrass Music Awards. Voting members include:
- individual professional members,
- organizational members,
- college student members,
- youth members, and
- lifetime members.
These members may write in as many as five candidates of their choice for the various categories and sub-categories on the first round ballot, which is typically sent out in April. The ballot is delivered via email.
In order to receive this ballot, members must be current in their dues in advance of the ballot going out. This is because the third party balloting service the IBMA uses must receive all updated member information ten business days prior to balloting. Find this year’s cut-off date to join or renew in time to receive the first ballot here.
The election process involves a first ballot requesting write-in nominations for all categories, a second ballot containing the twenty highest-voted candidates from the first ballot in each category, and a third ballot containing the top five nominees in each category.
