Choose a nominee
Explore an active edition or category and open the profile of the person, business or institution you want to support.
How Voting Works
From selecting a nominee to M-PESA confirmation, see exactly how verified votes are processed on Top Awards.
THE VOTING JOURNEY
Four steps. One verified vote.
Every paid vote follows a clear payment-confirmation process before it appears in the Results.
Select your votes
Choose a preset quantity or enter a custom number. The total amount is shown before you proceed.
Approve M-PESA
Enter your M-PESA number and approve the secure STK Push on your phone. A pending request never counts as a vote.
Votes are verified
Once payment is confirmed, votes are credited automatically and eligible nominee earnings are recorded in the wallet ledger.
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Payment-confirmed votesVotes are credited only after provider confirmation.
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Duplicate-safe callbacksThe same confirmed payment cannot credit votes twice.
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Transparent recordsNominees and administrators can track verified activity.
Voting on Top Awards is designed to be simple for supporters and verifiable for nominees and administrators. A vote is not counted merely because a payment request was created; it is credited only after the payment provider confirms a successful transaction.
1. Find the nominee you want to support
Browse active editions, categories, nominee profiles or the leaderboard. Each approved nominee profile shows the active nomination or nominations they are participating in. Choose the relevant nomination and select Vote Now.
2. Choose the number of votes
Select one of the available vote quantities or enter a custom quantity where the edition allows it. The platform calculates the total amount using the configured vote price for that edition, category or nominee.
For example, if one vote costs KSh 10, then 20 votes cost KSh 200. The amount is shown before the payment request is initiated.
3. Enter your M-PESA number
Provide the mobile number that should receive the payment prompt. The platform validates and normalises the number before creating the payment request.
4. Approve the STK Push
A secure M-PESA STK Push is sent through the configured payment provider. Check the amount and merchant details shown on your phone, then enter your M-PESA PIN to approve the payment.
Never share your M-PESA PIN with Top Awards, a nominee, an administrator or any other person. Your PIN is entered only on the secure prompt displayed by your mobile-money service.
5. Wait for payment confirmation
The payment provider sends the final transaction result back to Top Awards. A pending request does not increase the nominee's vote count. When a payment is confirmed successfully, the platform records the payment and credits the corresponding votes automatically.
6. The leaderboard updates
Verified votes contribute to the nominee's ranking. Depending on the edition settings, the public may see both the ranking and vote totals, ranking only, or no public leaderboard until results are released.
What happens to nominee earnings?
Some editions may allow nominees to receive a share of verified voting revenue. Where enabled, the nominee share is calculated from the confirmed payment and credited to the nominee wallet ledger. The remaining amount is recorded as platform revenue. The exact percentage may differ by edition, category or nominee.
Why can a vote take a moment to appear?
Mobile-money confirmations are asynchronous. In most cases confirmation is fast, but network or provider delays may leave a transaction pending temporarily. The platform can check the provider status without creating a second payment or awarding duplicate votes.
What if payment fails or is cancelled?
If the payment provider reports that a transaction failed, was cancelled or was not completed, no votes are credited for that transaction. You can start a new voting request from the nominee profile.
How does Top Awards protect vote integrity?
- Every payment request receives a unique platform reference.
- Votes are created only after successful payment confirmation.
- A single payment transaction cannot award votes more than once.
- Provider references and payment statuses are retained for reconciliation.
- Administrative and financial actions are logged for audit purposes.
- Voting windows and nominee/category eligibility are enforced by the server, not only by the button shown on the website.
Need help?
If you completed a payment but your votes remain pending after a reasonable period, contact the Top Awards team and provide the payment reference or M-PESA transaction reference where available. Do not send your M-PESA PIN.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Good to know before you vote.
Clear answers about nominations, voting, nominee accounts and earnings.
How do I vote for a nominee?+
Open the nominee profile, select the category nomination you want to support, choose the number of votes, enter the requested payment details and complete the payment prompt. Votes are credited only after the payment provider confirms the transaction.
How are votes counted?+
Votes are credited only after the associated payment is confirmed successfully by the payment provider. Failed, cancelled or unconfirmed payment attempts do not become verified votes.
Can I vote for the same nominee more than once?+
Yes, unless a specific edition publishes a different rule. Supporters may complete additional verified vote transactions while voting remains open.
What happens if my payment fails or I cancel the payment prompt?+
No verified votes are credited for an unsuccessful transaction. You can try again with a new payment request. If money was deducted but the vote does not appear, contact support with the transaction reference for reconciliation.
Why is my vote or payment still showing as pending?+
A pending status normally means the platform is waiting for the payment provider to confirm the final transaction state. Do not assume a pending payment has counted until it is confirmed. If the status remains unresolved, contact support with your payment reference.
How does Top Awards prevent the same payment from crediting votes twice?+
Each payment transaction has unique references and the vote-processing flow is designed to be duplicate-safe. Repeated payment-provider callbacks for an already confirmed transaction do not create a second set of votes.
Where can I view Top Awards results?+
Use the Results page for published rankings and results, subject to the visibility rules of the relevant edition. Official winners are also presented on the Winners pages after results are finalised and published.
Why is the public Results page locked?+
Top Awards currently uses a paid public Results unlock. The access fee is shown on the Results page and, once the payment is confirmed, that browser or device keeps access using a secure token.
Does a verified badge give a nominee extra votes or a ranking advantage?+
No. Verification is a trust and identity feature. It does not add votes, multiply votes, alter verified vote values or create an artificial ranking advantage.
Can results change after they are published?+
Published results are intended to represent the finalised outcome. In exceptional circumstances involving reconciliation, fraud review or an administrative correction, Top Awards may review records in line with the platform terms and audit trail.
READY TO TAKE PART?
Support excellence with a verified vote.
Find an active nominee, choose your votes and complete payment securely from your phone.