In the WATCHDOG category...

Rob Port, of Minot, North Dakota, is the publisher of Say Anything, North Dakota's most widely read blog. The blog regularly uncovers stories involving government waste, corruption, and the misappropriation of public funds.

Ben Joravsky, of Chicago, Illinois, is a journalist for the Chicago Reader and a long-time government watchdog. Thanks to Joravsky's investigative reporting, accountability for tax increment financing (TIF) funds became a major issue in the 2011 Chicago mayoral elections, with momentum for great accountability in the future.

then.. there is a complete unknown.

Jason Gillman, of Traverse City, Michigan, & Chetly Zarko, of Lansing, Michigan, uncovered evidence of a fake "Tea Party" that was set to run on the November ballot in nearly 24 toss-up races across the state. Because of their work, the Michigan Supreme Court removed the fake "Tea Party" from the ballot before the November elections.

This year, the winner receives a $10,000 award, or a really cool snuggie.  Cold winter nights, combined with the falling dollar really make the decision which would be better more difficult .