The Best Stocks for 2010

You've had your chance. Now, it's our turn.

Two weeks ago, we asked the Fool community which stocks they thought would be among next year's best performers. They came up with some great ideas:

• wolfman225 suggested that Intuit's foray into website design software would complement its traditional tax and personal finance software business well, letting it tap into small businesses and unemployed people seeking to build their own websites.
• Several dividend-paying stocks made an appearance among readers' picks, including Southern Company (NYSE:SO), Novartis (NYSE:NVS), and Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT). The combination of attractive payouts at fairly inexpensive valuations gave readers confidence about their future prospects.
• Outsized gains among some of 2009's top comeback stories didn't stop folks from choosing them to outpace their peers in 2010. Ford Motor (NYSE:F), Citigroup (NYSE:C), and even Fannie Mae (NYSE:FNM) all came back from the brink back in March to post strong gains -- and some see them as repeat performers next year.

A good year
2009 was good for many investors, and our past-year picks were no exception. Out of 14 stocks we looked at last December, two more than doubled in price, and only two stocks -- ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM) and General Electric -- were down year-to-date.

But unlike some competitions, you won't see us coasting on our winning record. Most of our Foolish contributors are back again for another shot at the glory of choosing the best stock for 2010. And we need your help.

Take a look at this year's selections and see what you think. At the bottom of each article, you'll have the opportunity to vote whether you believe that stock is the best stock for 2010. Once we've tallied the votes, we'll be back to tell you which ones are best poised for big gains next year.

The Best Stocks for 2010:

• Akamai Technologies
• Apple
• ATP Oil & Gas
• Berkshire Hathaway
• Costco
• Exelon
• Google
• Intel
• Intuitive Surgical
• NVIDIA
• Silver Wheaton
• Smart Balance
• UPS

There you go, Fools -- vote early and often today!