Explainer: How Academy Awards voting works
The 98th Academy Awards are set for March 15, 2026, and there's already a buzz about who'll take home the gold.
The voting is run by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), made up of over 10,000 members from different branches: think actors, directors, writers, and more.
Most members get to vote (except those with emeritus status), making it a pretty big group effort.
Nominations and final voting process
For nominations, each branch votes in its own category—so actors nominate actors, directors pick directors.
Best Picture is special: everyone gets to rank their favorites using ranked-choice voting.
To win Best Picture in the final round, a film needs more than half the votes through a preferential ballot system.
This year's twist? Members are expected to watch all nominated films before casting their final vote, aiming for fairer results across the board.