9/1/2009

Tom Helberg

The Academy will require voters to rank films instead of picking just one, accommodating the larger list of nominees.

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences announced a changed voting system Tuesday for the best picture nominees.  
  
The [AP](http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gJHs1fGtNU7E5FAnuQwwWmCCZ-agD9AEMEVG0) reports that Oscar voters will make use of a preferential voting system in which favorite best picture nominees will be rated from one to ten.  
  
The voting system received an overhaul because of the Academy's decision to expand the best picture nominees from five to ten starting with the upcoming awards in March.  
  
When the field was limited to five nominations, voters only chose one film. The new system will add weight to a voter's number two and three choices.  
  
If the old system were in place, a film could have possibly won best picture with just over 10 percent of the vote.  
  
The Best Picture categories featured over five nominees from 1931 to 1943 when the preferential voting method was also utilized. The method was last used by the Academy in 1945.  
  
Voting in other Oscar categories will not be affected.