Oscar nomination ballots go out to the 5,277 voting members of the Academy on Monday, and for the first time, about 200 members will have expanded voting rights.
Members traditionally vote in their own branch and are not allowed to belong to more than one area. But this year, some members who have been nominated in other categories will be able to vote beyond their home branch. The move was approved at a board meeting in the summer, though the Academy did not announce the change.
Variety reports that AMPAS exec director Bruce Davis said the move evolved gradually. “It was something members had asked about over the years: ‘I was nominated in that category, but can’t vote.’ So we went to the rules committee and they approved the idea, and then we took it to the board (for approval),” he said. “Everybody liked the idea, there was no opposition anywhere. It’s nice to have your most accomplished members voting in categories in which they’ve shown their accomplishments.”
Asked if it will affect the outcome in any categories, Davis told Variety, “It seems unlikely,” pointing out that there are only a few additions to each voting category.
The nomination ballots are due in the PricewaterhouseCoopers LA office on Jan. 23.
Nominations will be announced Feb. 2, with final ballots going out Feb. 10 and due back March 2. The ceremony will be held on March 7, later than usual this year due to scheduling around the winter Olympics.
