GARNER — Scotty McCreery is again hoping that his fans will come through for him in a national voting contest.

Starting today at noon, voting began online for the Academy of Country Music’s “New Artist of the Year” Award. Scotty, the 18-year-old Garner High School senior, is one of three finalists competing for the prize.

The winner will be announced live on the 47th Academy of Country Music Awards on April 1 on CBS.

“The fans have been great to me when it comes to getting down and voting,” Scotty said in an interview last month.

Scotty won the 10th season of the fan-voted “American Idol” last May. In December, he received his first award from the music industry – top new artist at the American Country Awards. That award, too, was selected by fans.

Scotty got a heads-up in advance that he was going to win that award. When his name was announced, the curtain opened to reveal him performing.

“The last one they told me the day before,” he said. “This one I won’t find out until the actual moment they announce it.”

Scotty is competing against fellow country newcomers Brantley Gilbert and Hunter Hayes. Fans can vote at acmcountry.com

Also up for fan vote is “Entertainer of the Year,” from nominees Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton and Taylor Swift. Fans can vote once a day.

Scotty, who toured with Paisley during the winter, is back in Garner for a while. The tour will start back in the summer. Until then, Scotty is playing baseball at Garner High and getting ready to graduate.

He’ll likely be making a trip to “Idol” to perform this season.

In some ways, Scotty said, it’s hard to believe it was just a year ago that he was performing on “Idol” each week on his way to the title. So much has happened since then, from his platinum first album and two gold singles through the “Idol” and Paisley concert tours.

“It’s cool to look back,” he said, “but we’re also looking ahead to a big 2012.”

Ogburn: 919-829-8987