The Reader is running a “Best of Chicago” poll. However, the poll page itself says that it’s “hosted by our sister publication in Washington.”
This isn’t some hack, because the link is given that way on this Reader page http://www.chicagoreader.com/recommends/ at the bottom of each section. On that same page, the poll has its own section third from the bottom. The link there is Best of Chicago 2023 Ballot but it goes straight to the Washington site.
Dunno if this means anything more than the Washington site has more bandwidth to spare. But it is odd that a “Best of Chicago” poll is hosted in another city.