Overview of Voting on Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars uses viewer votes to help determine which couples remain in the competition. While the exact mechanics can shift by season, the core idea is that multiple voting platforms enable fans to cast ballots for their favorite dancers, typically during a live or same-week broadcast window. In 2017, the show continued to rely on a mix of television, web, and mobile channels to collect votes, with the goal of giving audiences an accessible way to influence outcomes. This guide explains how the system generally works, what changed around the 2017 season, and how votes translate into save decisions.
Primary Voting Platforms in 2017
By 2017, Dancing with the Stars supported several voting channels, each with its own rules and deadlines. The main avenues remained the ABC Television app, the official Dancing with the Stars website, and mobile SMS and app voting. Some seasons also included partnerships with social platforms or voice assistants, but in 2017 the focus was on reliable, direct methods integrated with ABC and Disney-owned tools. Understanding which platforms were available helped viewers avoid disallowed or duplicate votes and ensured their choices counted in the official tally.
- ABC Television App and Watch ABC: Enabled authenticated voting for qualifying subscribers.
- Official DWTS Website: Online votes submitted via desktop or mobile browser.
- SMS and Mobile App: Text and app-based votes, typically tied to a phone number or account.
How to Vote via the ABC Television App
Voting through the ABC Television app or Watch ABC was a central method in 2017, usually requiring an authenticated TV provider subscription. Viewers logged in with their cable or streaming credentials for their provider, navigated to the live show or encore presentation, and accessed a live voting prompt when available. The app displayed on-screen cues indicating when voting windows opened and closed. Because these windows were often limited to specific performances or results shows, checking the in-app schedule helped ensure votes were submitted in time to affect the outcome.
Steps to Vote in the App
- Install the ABC app or Watch ABC app and sign in with TV provider credentials.
- Tune to the live or same-week episode as listed in the show’s schedule.
- When the voting banner appears, select the couple you want to save.
- Confirm and submit before the window closes; the app usually shows a confirmation message.
Voting on the Official DWTS Website
The official Dancing with the Stars website served as another key channel for online votes. During the vote window, the site featured a prominent viewer-vote panel where fans could choose their preferred couple. Because browser-based votes were tied to session and device, the site often imposed limits on the number of votes per user to maintain integrity. Voters needed a compatible browser, allowed third-party cookies, and sometimes completed a quick verification step to ensure their ballot was counted.
Website Voting Guidelines
- Use a supported browser and keep JavaScript enabled.
- Log in or authenticate as prompted to associate votes with a unique user.
- Check the on-screen timer to confirm you are voting within the active window.
- Refresh only if necessary, as excessive refreshes can disrupt submission.
SMS and Mobile App Channels
In addition to web and TV options, Dancing with the Stars offered SMS-based voting and a dedicated mobile app. Text-to-vote shortcodes were typically announced on-air, and each message usually counted as one vote per number. The app channel allowed users to vote from smartphones, often with the same authentication requirements as the Watch ABC app. It was important to note any per-episode limits and to send or tap only during announced windows, as early or late attempts were not accepted.
Key Dates and Deadlines for 2017
Voting timelines in 2017 followed the pattern of live performance shows on Sunday and sometimes Monday, with results and additional voting windows on Tuesday. Voting generally opened after the evening performance and closed at a specific time prior to the results show, giving producers time to tally votes before the outcome was revealed. Exact local times varied by time zone and platform, so checking the on-screen schedule or the show’s social announcements was essential for precision.
2017 Voting Timeline at a Glance
| Attribute | Verified Detail | Source Type |
|---|---|---|
| Typical Voting Window | Performance evening to early Tuesday | Seasonal pattern |
| Primary Platforms | ABC App, Official Site, SMS | Announced channels |
| Authentication Needs | TV provider login for app; limits on website/SMS | Platform requirements |
| Vote Count Limits | Per user, per episode limits enforced | Platform rules |
How Votes Translate into Show Outcomes
Votes do not automatically save a couple; they contribute to a composite score that includes judges’ scores. In most weeks, votes represent a portion of the total score, often scaled to align with the judges’ points so that neither audience nor judges dominate the decision. Low votes can place a couple in the bottom, but survival depends on how that scaled vote total compares to others. The show communicates this scoring briefly on-air, emphasizing that votes are one component of a broader evaluation framework.
Common Misconceptions and Troubleshooting
Many viewers assume that every vote counts equally or that voting multiple times through different channels increases impact, but in practice, producers enforce one vote per viewer per platform to preserve fairness. Duplicate votes from the same source are usually ignored or deduplicated. Other issues include incomplete authentication on the app, expired cookies on the website, or SMS delays. If a vote appears rejected, the best practice is to verify the time window and try again through a different method rather than assume the system failed.
Summary of 2017 Voting Best Practices
To make your voice count on Dancing with the Stars in a season like 2017, prepare in advance by installing the ABC app and noting your TV provider login, bookmarking the official site, and noting the local performance and results times. Vote only during announced windows, check for confirmation messages, and avoid attempting to vote repeatedly across channels in the hope of amplifying impact. Consistent, timely voting through one reliable channel is more effective than scattered attempts that risk being disqualified.