Are you ready to rock the vote? American Idol is back soon with Season 21 and it'll better than ever for 2023. The good news? It's almost time for you to make your voice heard. Whether you're a die-hard fan of the show or just love a good singing competition, American Idol is the series to watch, and this year's season promises to bring the excitement. It'll be the sixth straight year that pairs longtime host Ryan Seacrest with judges Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan and Katy Perry.
Thousands will audition to be named this year's winner, but the cool part is you will end up influencing who eventually ends up taking the crown, all by sending in your votes for who deserves the honor. But before you start casting your votes, let's take a look at how the voting process works and what you need to know to make your voice heard. So grab your phones, tablets and laptops, and let's get prepared for the upcoming season.
How to Vote on American Idol
ABC
To understand how to vote in the popular singing competition, let's recap how the actual show works. American Idol always kicks off with the popular auditions that find contestants judged by the panel of celebrities, which has been ever-changing over the years. The auditions are the best time to watch, according to many, as viewers love seeing all the antics and hijinks (and touching stories) from those looking to make it big.
But once the auditions come to an end, 24 to 36 semifinalists are narrowed down to one big group who will be heading to Hollywood. Once that happens, the judges have done their job, and it all turns over to you, the viewer. From then on, every week, contestants will perform a new song, the judges will offer their thoughts and feedback on each performance and the real voting begins.
You'll need to then make your voice heard about your favorite contestants if you want to see one particular singer victorious. After each episode, a two-hour window opens up, during which you'll be able to cast your vote. Typically, there are three different ways to vote for your favorite American Idol contestants. According to ABC's most up-to-date methods, they consist of the following:
- Vote online at AmericanIdol.com/vote when voting is open
- Vote in the American Idol app for iOS or Android
- Vote via text
When voting via phone or online, you can participate as often as you want. If you choose to text or vote within the app, however, you will be relegated to 50 votes. If you choose to vote via the mobile app, which is free, you'll be kept abreast of how many votes you have left for a given period of time.
After the weekly two-hour window, voting will close. At that point, you'll have to wait until next week to see the results. Unfortunately, there's no way to view a running tally of who's currently in the lead. That's why you have to tune in and see what happens.
Right now, voting is closed until American Idol begins airing. When it does begin, however, you'll be able to start making your voice heard as soon as the season gears up. Once auditions end, be sure you've got your chosen method of voting ready to go so you don't miss out.
American Idol Season 21 is set to begin with the show's premiere on Feb. 19, 2023 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
