How Dancing with the Stars Winners Are Made: Scoring Systems, Odds, and Spinoff Shifts
By Marcus Vance
Q1: How do viewers cast votes during Season 35?
A1: Viewers vote online at the official ABC voting portal and via SMS text message during the live broadcast on ABC and Disney+. Standard limits allow up to 10 votes per couple per voting method, enabling a maximum of 20 votes per couple per registered user account.
Q2: When does the voting window open and close?
A2: The voting window opens at the start of the live telecast (8:00 PM Eastern / 5:00 PM Pacific) and closes shortly after the final dance concludes, typically during the final commercial break of the live show.
Q3: What happens if there is a tie on the judges leaderboard?
A3: If couples tie on judges scores, their percentage of the judges total remains identical. The tie is broken entirely by the viewer vote percentage, meaning the celebrity with higher public support advances automatically.
Q4: Why was the Mirrorball Trophy renamed?
A4: Following the passing of longtime head judge Len Goodman, the program renamed the grand prize the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy to honor his foundational role in establishing professional ballroom standards on global television.
Marcus Vance is a cybersecurity auditor and technology writer dedicated to educating the public about online safety, data privacy regulations, enterprise security, and emerging cyber threats.
