The question how does Dancing With the Stars voting work continues to be one of the most searched topics among fans as the 2025 season electrifies audiences across the United States. Now airing live on both ABC and Disney+, the show’s 33rd season has brought a fresh wave of celebrities, professional dancers, and devoted viewers who are eager to understand how the combination of audience votes and judges’ scores determines each week’s results.
With the competition heating up and the coveted Mirrorball Trophy on the line, understanding the exact voting system is key to ensuring your favorite couple makes it all the way to the finale. Below is a detailed, up-to-date explanation of how the voting process works in 2025, including the rules, timing, methods, and everything that influences eliminations.
How the Dancing With the Stars Voting System Works in 2025
The 2025 season of Dancing With the Stars (DWTS) uses a dual voting system that blends judges’ scores with viewer votes to decide which couples remain in the competition. This process ensures that both professional assessment and fan enthusiasm influence the results each week.
Each Monday night, celebrity contestants and their professional dance partners perform live for the judges and the viewing audience. Once the final performance concludes, the judges’ scores are combined with the public’s votes, creating a weighted total that determines who advances.
Ways You Can Vote for Dancing With the Stars
There are two primary methods for voting in the 2025 season:
- Online Voting via ABC.com
- Fans can cast votes on the show’s official voting page at ABC.com.
- You must have an ABC account and be logged in before voting begins.
- Voting is open during the live broadcast and closes shortly after the final performance ends.
- Text Message Voting
- Each celebrity pair is assigned a unique keyword.
- Viewers can text the keyword to 21523 during the live voting window.
- Text voting is available only to U.S. residents with active mobile service plans.
Both voting methods are free, though standard text message rates may apply for mobile votes.
When You Can Vote
Voting is open only during the live broadcast of the show. As of 2025, Dancing With the Stars airs live across all U.S. time zones simultaneously, thanks to its return to ABC alongside its ongoing Disney+ stream. This nationwide live format allows fans everywhere to participate in real time.
- Voting begins: At the start of each live broadcast (8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT).
- Voting ends: Shortly after the final performance of the evening.
This real-time voting window adds excitement and urgency, encouraging fans to tune in live and vote before time runs out.
Judges’ Scores and Viewer Votes: The Winning Formula
Understanding how Dancing With the Stars voting works requires knowing how the show combines judges’ scores with audience votes.
Here’s the process step-by-step:
- Each judge awards a score between 1 and 10 for every performance.
- The total of those scores is added together to create the couple’s judges’ total.
- Viewers cast their votes via online or text.
- The number of votes each couple receives is then converted into a percentage of the total votes cast that evening.
- The judges’ score percentage and fan vote percentage are combined to determine the final ranking.
- The couple with the lowest combined total is eliminated at the end of the episode.
This transparent scoring method ensures that both dance quality and fan enthusiasm carry equal weight in determining weekly results.
Who Are the Judges in 2025?
The judging panel for the 2025 season includes a familiar trio of dance experts who bring credibility, charisma, and decades of experience to the ballroom:
- Carrie Ann Inaba – Known for her emotional insight and attention to detail in technique.
- Derek Hough – A six-time Mirrorball Trophy winner turned judge, celebrated for his creativity and dance mastery.
- Bruno Tonioli – The expressive and theatrical judge whose commentary keeps both contestants and viewers entertained.
The late Len Goodman, a cornerstone of the series for nearly two decades, remains honored through the annual “Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy,” renamed in his memory in 2023.
How the Show Balances Judges’ Expertise and Fan Influence
The magic of Dancing With the Stars lies in its balance between professional judgment and audience participation. While the judges’ scores highlight technical excellence, fan votes often reflect emotional connection, storytelling, and personality.
For instance, a technically perfect dance might not win if the celebrity fails to capture the audience’s heart. Conversely, a contestant with strong fan support can survive a lower judges’ score, proving that charisma and relatability matter just as much as technique.
This mix of skill and popularity creates an unpredictable and exciting competition where anything can happen.
Voting Limits and Rules
To maintain fairness, Dancing With the Stars imposes a limit of 10 votes per voting method per contestant per viewer each week.
That means you can:
- Vote up to 10 times online through ABC.com.
- Vote up to 10 times via text message.
Fans can distribute their votes among multiple contestants or dedicate all votes to a single favorite.
This structured approach prevents voting manipulation and ensures a balanced outcome based on widespread viewer participation.
Why Real-Time Voting Changed the Game
When Dancing With the Stars transitioned to Disney+ in 2022, it also introduced real-time nationwide voting for the first time. This change allowed viewers across the country to cast votes simultaneously during the live broadcast, eliminating the delay that once separated East and West Coast audiences.
Now that the show has returned to ABC while staying available on Disney+, real-time voting continues to be a major draw. It creates a sense of community among viewers as millions watch, react, and vote together, turning each Monday night into a shared national event.
How Voting Influences Eliminations
Eliminations are determined by the combined weight of the judges’ scores and fan votes. Because this system values both dance skill and popularity, results can sometimes be surprising.
For example, a celebrity who delivers a technically brilliant performance might still be eliminated if fan support is weak. Meanwhile, a contestant with a huge social media following can overcome a less polished dance routine with strong audience backing.
This dynamic interplay between talent and fan engagement has been a defining feature of Dancing With the Stars since its debut in 2005. It ensures that no elimination is ever guaranteed, keeping fans on the edge of their seats week after week.
Tips to Make Your Votes Count
If you’re new to the voting process or want to maximize your impact, follow these best practices:
- Vote early: Don’t wait until the last minute — the voting window closes quickly after the final dance.
- Check your ABC account: Log in before the show starts to avoid any technical delays.
- Confirm your texts: Double-check that you’ve texted the correct keyword to 21523.
- Follow official updates: The show’s Instagram, TikTok, and X (Twitter) accounts post weekly reminders and links for voting.
- Watch live: Only live votes count — recorded or delayed streams don’t open new voting windows.
These simple steps help ensure your votes register correctly and truly support your favorite contestants.
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2025 Season Highlights So Far
As the 33rd season progresses, Dancing With the Stars continues to deliver standout performances, emotional stories, and headline-making moments. The 2025 cast includes a diverse lineup of stars from sports, film, television, and the digital world, each bringing their own flair to the ballroom.
This season has already featured viral routines and unexpected eliminations, sparking lively discussions on platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. The judges’ critiques, combined with fan passion, have shaped an unpredictable competition that keeps audiences invested every week.
The continued emphasis on fan engagement through voting proves that DWTS remains one of America’s most interactive and inclusive reality shows.
Why the Voting System Keeps the Show Fresh
The reason Dancing With the Stars continues to thrive after more than three decades lies in its commitment to giving fans a voice. Unlike scripted reality programs, this show depends on genuine viewer participation.
The dual voting system ensures that technical skill and audience sentiment share equal influence. Every season, it produces unforgettable moments when an underdog contestant triumphs because of overwhelming fan support, reminding everyone that connection often matters more than perfection.
This participatory format has turned DWTS from just a dance show into a national conversation — one where every vote can change the outcome.
Looking Ahead to the 2025 Finale
As the competition narrows and the finale approaches, every vote will count more than ever. The remaining couples are expected to deliver multiple dances during the final episode, with voting windows opening throughout the night to let fans decide the ultimate winner of the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy.
If past seasons are any indication, the 2025 finale will feature dazzling performances, emotional moments, and a nail-biting final reveal — all shaped by real-time viewer participation.
Whether you’re cheering for a polished performer or a fan-favorite underdog, remember that your live votes truly make the difference. Join the excitement, cast your votes, and be part of television’s most dazzling dance competition.