Best way to handle a business providing service to multiple locations

Hi,

I am setting up a directory site, which we will be using to run a voting contest. Users will choose the best businesses in various categories/sub-categories. That part is no problem.

Where I have just realized a possible issue, and am trying to figure out the best way to deal with it, is that a business can be listed in multiple locations (cities/islands/neighborhood/etc, depending upon where the contest is run) on the ballot (there is also a printed ballot).

For example, let’s say there is a category called Food and Beverage, a sub-category called Pizza, and 3 locations (we’ll call them location1, location2, and location3, for now) on the ballot. So, Bob’s Pizza Joint wants to be listed on the ballot, under Food and Beverage>>Pizza for 2 of the locations (location1 and location3). Obviously, that is no problem for the print ballot. But, what is the best way to allow Bob to select multiple locations, and have that displayed correctly, for our contest?

I am working with a couple of developers, on this project, so customization is not a problem. I am just not sure of the best way to deal with this issue, and am hoping you can point me in the right direction. I have a couple of ideas, regarding how this could be handled. Maybe you can let me know if one of them sounds better than the others. Or, let me know if there is a better way, which I have not thought of.

Idea 1:
Make 3 copies (there would be the original, plus 3) of each sub-category. The original would act as a parent of the copies. Each copy would be designated with a location. For example, the parent would be Pizza, and the copies would be Pizza-Location1, Pizza-Location2, Pizza-Location3. This way, the business owner can opt to be included in different locations, under the same sub-category, on the ballot.
A voter could still opt to see all of the ballot listings, regardless of location, in a sub-category (Pizza), by selecting Food and Beverage>>Pizza.

Idea2:
Using the Franchise Manager Add-On, have a business create their main business listing, then add locations, as though they were franchises. Then, select the categories and sub-categories, for each “franchise” (not a physically separate business, but just an area in which they operate), to be included in the different ballot locations (location1, location2 and/or location3).