OGUNQUIT — Anyone who has walked the crowded streets and beaches of Ogunquit in the summer knows the “Beautiful Place by the Sea” is one of Maine’s most popular tourist destinations.

So it came as no surprise to town officials that Ogunquit is one of 20 nominees for USA Today’s Readers Choice contest for the Best Coastal Small Town in America.

The online contest places Ogunquit in competition with 19 other communities, including Carmel-by-the-Sea, California; Mystic, Connecticut; and Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. The contest allows people to vote once a day for their favorite town on the list, making it more of a popularity contest than an editorial critique.

“We were thrilled when we received the email notification that we were a nominee, and since the start of the contest we have been neck and neck with Saugatuck, Michigan. We are asking everyone who loves Ogunquit to vote each and every day,” said Karen Arel, president of the Ogunquit Chamber of Commerce.

Voting will end at 11:59 a.m. on Monday, March 15, with winners announced on Wednesday, March 18.

Arel said the nomination was not solicited. To be nominated, she said visitors must have shared their love of Ogunquit with family and friends and in opinion surveys.

“This is just one of many recognition awards that Ogunquit has received recently,” said Town Manager Tom Fortier, citing a list of awards over the past 10 years, including Yankee Magazine’s Number 1 Beach Town in New England three years in a row.

Ogunquit is also the recipient of the 2015 Environmental Award from Down East Magazine for being the first town in Maine ”“ and the second in the country ”“ to ban all lawn pesticides on private and public property.

In a recent statement, Down East editor-in-chief Kathleen Fleury explained that Ogunquit was an obvious choice for this year’s award.

“We’re proud to have protectors and leaders of environmental issues like this in Maine,” said Fleury. “It’s even inspired us to stop using pesticides at the Down East offices in Rockport.”

Down East introduced its Environmental Award in 1979 as a way to encourage responsible use of Maine’s natural resources and to honor the people who are at the forefront of efforts to renew and preserve the state’s environmental heritage. It has been six years since the magazine has given the award.

Back in Ogunquit, members of the Conservation Commission will be honored at an awards luncheon on March 16 at the Dunaway Center.

“It proves that people understand this is a growing problem and I think we’ll see other towns also joining this effort,” said Conservation Commission Chairman Mike Horn.

“It’s nice to stand back and look at what we’ve accomplished but if we want to make this real, we still need to educate the public about the organic pest retardants they can use to keep their lawns and gardens beautiful in a friendlier way,” he said.

To that end, the Conservation Commission is holding two workshops for the public on March 14.

A morning pesticide seminar will be held at the Atlantic Design Center’s Eldridge Building, at 627 Route 1, York, from 10:30-11:30 a.m. There will also be a free afternoon workshop at the Ogunquit Fire Station, 15 School St., Ogunquit, from 1-4:30 p.m.