Playboy’s Playmate of the Year 2013

If only November’s presidential election featured campaign literature as scintillating as what you now have at our fingertips. Herewith we present the candidates who will vie for your all-important vote to become the 2013 Playmate of the Year. The winner will bath in champagne and prize money and add her name to the pantheon of PMOYs going back to the first—Ellen Stratton of Mississippi—in 1960. Who will grab your ballot? Let the debate begin.

A daunting task at best, choosing the PMOY is never easy, especially with the likes of Fantasy League Football fan Miss January Heather Knox who helped us ring in the New Year; Miss February Leola Bell, whose nurturing nature had her sending care packages to troops overseas; our favorite Australian model Miss March Lisa Seiffert, who reminded us that models look best when modelling nothing at all; and of course classically trained ballerina Miss April Raquel Pomplun, who still keeps us on our toes.

What do Miss May, Miss June, Miss July and Miss August have in common? Other than the blatantly obvious, these four girls have unrivaled drive. We don’t know how Miss May Nikki Leigh finds time to model in between graduating university with honors, working as a Playboy Radio host and ambassador and travelling as a Playmate Dancer. Miss June Amelia Talon broke the nerd mold as a hardcore gamer who promises to use the PMOY title to be active in charities. Business owner Miss July Shelby Chesnes’ modeling career has exploded; it’s no wonder she calls 2012 the best year of her life. Proving once again that Playmates are both gorgeous and smart, Miss August Beth Williams has two bachelor’s degrees and one master’s degree under her belt.

With summer over, we worried there would be nothing to light up the days. Then Miss September Alana Campos graced the pages with her Brazilian beauty and good vibes. Kansas native Miss October Pamela Horton won the respect of the gaming community as the ultimate gamer girl. And even with Hollywood knocking on her door, Miss November Britany Nola is still focused on her activism as a gay rights advocate. And finally, Miss December Amanda Streich brings the year to a close; this Poland native and champion swimmer understands hard work and dedication.