The question how does Dancing With the Stars voting work continues to capture attention as the 2025 season unfolds with intense competition and emotional performances. Now in its milestone 33rd season, the beloved ABC and Disney+ show has evolved into one of America’s most interactive reality programs, giving fans a direct hand in determining who advances each week. The combination of real-time viewer engagement and expert judges’ scoring makes the process both exciting and unpredictable.
This season’s lineup showcases an exciting mix of television personalities, professional athletes, viral social media stars, and even a few returning fan favorites. Each pair performs live, knowing that both technical execution and audience connection can make or break their chances of staying in the competition. The dual voting system—where judges provide expert feedback and fans vote online or via text—ensures that success depends equally on skill and public support.
With the Mirrorball Trophy at stake, the 2025 season has already produced unforgettable routines, surprise eliminations, and passionate debates across social media. The voting system, transparent yet thrillingly competitive, remains a key reason Dancing With the Stars continues to captivate millions of viewers nationwide each week.
Table of Contents
How Voting Works on Dancing With the Stars in 2025
The voting system for Dancing With the Stars (DWTS) combines judges’ scores and fan votes to decide which couples advance. Each week, contestants perform live, and viewers can vote during the broadcast to support their favorite pairs.
This season, fans have two main ways to vote:
- Online at ABC.com – Viewers with a verified ABC account can cast votes during the live broadcast.
- Via Text Message – Each couple is assigned a unique keyword. Viewers can text that keyword to 21523 during the live voting window.
Voting is open only during the live broadcast in the Eastern and Central time zones. Fans in Pacific and Mountain regions can still vote by participating during the Eastern/Central live airing, even if the show has not yet aired in their local time.
When to Vote
Voting begins at the start of each live episode and closes shortly after the final performance of the night. That timing ensures all votes are counted before results are announced at the end of the show.
Because the program now airs live nationwide on Disney+ and ABC, viewers across the country have the opportunity to vote in real-time — a feature that became permanent after its reintroduction to broadcast TV in 2023.
Judges’ Scores and Fan Votes: How They Combine
Each week, the judges — currently Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli — score the couples on performance, technique, and creativity. Their scores are combined with the percentage of fan votes each couple receives.
Here’s how it works step-by-step:
- The total number of votes each couple earns from fans is converted into a percentage of the total audience votes.
- The same is done for the judges’ scores.
- These two percentages are added together to determine the final ranking.
- The couple with the lowest combined total is eliminated from the competition.
This structure keeps results balanced between performance quality and public popularity.
Why Real-Time Voting Matters
Since 2022, Dancing With the Stars has emphasized real-time voting to keep engagement high during live shows. This change allows fans to influence outcomes immediately instead of relying on pre-recorded episodes. It also gives the show a true “live competition” feel, similar to other reality competitions like American Idol or The Voice.
In the 2025 season, real-time voting has continued to drive fan engagement. Episodes trend weekly on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, as viewers discuss routines and results in real time.
Voting Limits
To ensure fairness, each viewer can cast up to 10 votes per voting method per contestant during each broadcast. That means fans can vote up to 10 times online and 10 times via text message for their favorite couple, giving dedicated supporters a chance to make a meaningful impact while keeping the competition balanced.
Recent Updates for 2025
As of November 2025, Dancing With the Stars has maintained its hybrid broadcast model, streaming live on both ABC and Disney+. This dual-platform approach has helped the series regain viewership momentum and reach new audiences.
Producers have confirmed that no major changes have been made to the voting process this season. However, the emphasis on fan participation remains central to the show’s format. The combination of judges’ critiques and audience input continues to determine which celebrity dancers advance toward the Mirrorball Trophy.
Tips for Effective Voting
Fans who want their votes to count should keep these best practices in mind:
- Vote during the live broadcast: Late votes won’t be counted once voting closes.
- Create or log in to your ABC account early: Technical issues can prevent last-minute votes.
- Double-check your text votes: Texting the wrong keyword won’t register for your favorite pair.
- Follow the show’s official social media: Weekly reminders and live updates ensure you never miss your voting window.
These simple steps can make a difference in helping your favorite celebrity dancer reach the finale.
Impact of Voting on Eliminations
Because Dancing With the Stars merges professional scoring with fan input, the results can sometimes surprise viewers. Strong technical dancers have been eliminated early due to low audience votes, while less polished but popular contestants have advanced deep into the competition.
This dynamic balance between skill and fan support has defined the show since its U.S. debut in 2005. It keeps both contestants and audiences invested until the final episode.
Judges’ Role vs. Fan Power
While the judges provide expert evaluations, the audience ultimately controls the show’s fate. Their votes can overturn expectations and create dramatic eliminations. The format ensures that every week’s results reflect both technical ability and emotional connection with the viewers.
In recent weeks, high-energy performances and standout choreography have earned extra fan support, highlighting how audience passion shapes the competition’s trajectory.
Looking Ahead to the Season Finale
As the season nears its conclusion, fan voting becomes even more crucial. With the field narrowing and only a few couples remaining, every vote carries greater weight. The Mirrorball Trophy often comes down to the smallest margin — proving that every fan interaction truly matters.
The live finale will feature multiple rounds of dancing and open voting windows, giving fans a final chance to influence the outcome before the ultimate champion is revealed.
Every season brings new faces, new dances, and the same thrilling question: Who will win the Mirrorball Trophy? So keep your phone ready, cast your votes, and make your voice count in America’s favorite dance competition.