Silas, you may be focusing on the 'singing' part of the title too much.

I personally think Jon IS a truly fantastic singer, if not to everyone's taste (but you can't please all of the people..).

His timbre, delivery, expression and originality combine to powerful effect, and he always delivers his chosen material brilliantly (what other definition of great singing is there)?

It's not bel canto, but the adjective might be clue here.

My interpretation of the award, however, is that it's not about vocal technique.

It's about being a 'folk singer,' as in the job description - all of it.

No folk singer has delivered more than Jon in the last twelve months - his workload has been prodigious (terrifying, actually) and he's made a lot of good new things happen, and happen extremely effectively.

He IS at least best equal best folk singer at the moment (and after 'best equal,' in a game like this it has to be a lottery, naturally).

I'll vote for that.

(Jon, you can leave the used fivers in the normal place ;-)