Democracy sure is swell, ain’t it? We solicited your nominations for our Hill Intern Hotties contest. Then we opened up the polls, informed you about the candidates, and counted up the votes (for the nine female hotties and eight male hotties in competition).

Now, the fun part. It’s time to declare the winners: the two hottest interns on the Hill.

The race for hottest female intern wasn’t terribly exciting, truth be told. The dazzling Stephanie Carter quickly seized the lead, which she never relinquished. She took 25 percent of the vote, trouncing her closest competition, Katie Warner (who took less than 15 percent).

This reader rave, which arrived too late to include with the earlier testimonials, says it all:

Stephanie Carter is kind, intelligent and overall stellar woman. Truly the epitome of a great person, she is driven in one of those great, rare, non-obnoxious ways. Her hard work, dedication and genuine nature truly make her a rising star. Not only that, but her natural magnetism makes everyone want to know her. Hot, smart and kind. What more could you want for the hottest intern on the hill?

The men’s side was more competitive. Last week, Joe Fore took an early lead. But over the weekend, Blake Massad zipped past him, and stayed ahead of the pack for the rest of the contest. So, with over 20 percent of the votes, Blake Massad has been elected Speaker of the Hotties.

Congratulations to Stephanie and Blake, our two deserving winners. The complete vote tallies, plus additional commentary, after the jump.

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Just a quick reminder: the polls in our Hill Intern Hotties contest will remain open for only a few more hours. Voting will conclude at 2 PM Eastern time, and we’ll announce the winners shortly thereafter. Click here to vote on the women, and here to vote on the men.

We’ve received a few more requests from candidates to withdraw from the contest. As we told you over the weekend, nobody’s going anywhere. It’s the height of ingratitude to reject such an honor, when so many others wish they could be in your shoes.

Check back this afternoon to find out the winners. For those of you who are following the contest very closely, a quick recap of the current standings appears after the jump.

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Say what you will about the Bush Administration, but it can’t be denied that they know how to run a smart campaign. This is becoming quite clear as our White House Hotties competition unfolds. (Vote here for hottest female, and here for hottest male.)

Fresh from saving her boss’s ass — she batted her eyes at Pat Fitzgerald, and he melted like Katherine Harris’s concealer in the Florida sun — Taylor Hughes broke away from the pack. The leggy Taylor developed an early lead, and it looked like she’d be impossible to catch. The women’s race was shaping us as boring — in contrast to the men’s, which remains hotly contested.

But the latest tallies show Mary Anne Calamas and Emily House gaining fast. And House may be helped by a brilliant campaign — which you can learn about after the jump.

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* A little help in preparation for Bush’s boys: Karl Rove, meet H. R. Haldeman. [Spot-On] MORE »