One week later, and Sequim appears to be behind in a race with fellow small cities in the Northeast.

After leading USA Today’s 10Best Awards’ online campaign for “Best Small Town for Shopping” since close to its start-up, Sequim now sits at No. 3.

Lewes, Delaware leads the contest as of May 1, while Berlin, Maryland moves to second. Orcas Island, Sequim’s closest competitor by proximity, sits at No. 8.

Locals can vote up to twice per day through 9 a.m. Monday, May 14 at www.10best.com/awards/travel/best-small-town-for-shopping/.

Sequim won the USA Today’s “Best Northwestern Small Town” last year and was nominated this year along with 19 other cities from across the nation with populations of 25,000 or less by a panel of travel writers and bloggers.

Barbara Hanna, the City of Sequim’s communications and marketing director, said Sequim’s win last year has been a nice boost for the city’s tourism as staff have used it for promotions in different capacities.

For Sequim’s top competitors, judges describe Lewes as a destination for historic treasures along with nautical gifts, American crafts, boutique clothing, jewelry and health food, while for Berlin they write its “Main Street is packed with retail shops – more than 50 – that run the gamut from antiques and art galleries to jewelry stores and clothing boutiques.”

As for Sequim, judges say Sequim “enjoys a walkable downtown filled with gift shops and cafes, and punctuated by a historic grain elevator.”

Local business leaders boast Sequim has shops not found anywhere else in the world.

Shelli Robb-Kahler, executive director of the Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce, previously said “Sequim does have amazingly unique and charming shops in and around Sequim.”

Along with Sequim, Port Townsend remains in 11th place for the newspaper’s “Best Coastal Small Town” contest.

Winners will be announced at www.10Best.com on Friday, May 18.