It's official: Vermont wins race to be Homer's Springfield

SPRINGFIELD, Vt. (AP) - It's Duff time in Springfield, Vt., which on Tuesday was proclaimed the official hometown of TV's favorite dysfunctional family, the Simpsons.

The southeastern Vermont community beat out 13 other Springfields for the honor, which includes hosting the premiere of "The Simpsons Movie" on July 26th.

20th Century Fox ran an online poll on the USA Today Web site inviting people to vote for their favorite among 14 videos submitted by the competing Springfields.

Springfield, Vt., came late to the competition, getting in after the head of the local Chamber of Commerce saw a news report on it and asked to be involved.

"We're so excited," said Patricia Chaffee, vice president of the Springfield Regional Chamber of Commerce. "We came in at the last minute, and for us to win, we feel like the underdogs, which makes this so big and so great for us."

The town of 9,300 was the smallest in population among the communities entered. It put together a video showing a local TV personality playing Homer Simpson and chasing a giant, pink doughnut through the town.

Gov. Jim Douglas issued a statement congratulating the town.

"This is an exciting, exhilarating moment for Vermonters," he said. "Perhaps more importantly, it proves there's really nothing a giant doughnut can't do. To all the other Springfields, I say "Don't have a cow, man."

According to USA Today, the 13 other Springfields that participated in the contest will be given small screenings of their own the night before the movie opens nationwide July 27.