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For the past few seasons, American Idol fans have questioned the voting procedures and validity of the voting results during the live rounds of American Idol. Why is that? Because there is a site out there called Vote For The Worst that promotes voting for the worst singing of the week. The question is, does the practice of pushing the worse singer of the week actually influence how the votes will fall.

Last season, it was made apparent that Vote For The Worst was influencing votes towards the beginning of American Idol's elimination rounds when fan and judge favorites were among the first to be eliminated. It has been rumored that Vote For The Worst has a means of jamming the phone lines for their American Idol pick that is revealed immediately after the live show airs on Tuesday. Is this possible? I don't really see how it could be, since American Idol and Fox have always taken great care to make sure that the lines all work and if there is a problem, it is announced at the beginning of the results show.

Does Vote For The Worst have a large enough following to be able to impact the voting results without having to resort to illegal and immoral means? Yes, there are enough people who dislike American Idol enough that they can be influenced to vote the worse contestants through to the next round. It's not fair, but there is nothing that can be done about it. It's not illegal to vote when you don't watch the show, nor is it against the rules to ask others to vote the way that you want them to vote when they are not fans of the show.

Is it fair that American Idol fans have to watch their favorites get voted off week after week because of this practice? Not really, but it should be a motivating factor to get the fans to take the time to vote as much as the rules allow for them to vote. If you want your favorite to make thorough to the next round, then you absolutely have got to vote them onward. If you aren't voting, then you end up perpetuating the problem that American Idol fans have been facing since Vote For The Worst came into existence in 2004.

So far, it seems like American Idol fans have spoken loud and clear for Season 8. Vote For The Worst were pushing for people to vote for Tatiana Del Toro for a spot in the top 12, but failed in their mission when she was not among the three that were voted onward. The real American Idol fans need to continue their voting practices and make sure that the true fan favorites move on to the top 12. Do not let Vote For The Worst rob us of the chance to have the best of the best in the top 12 again.

Learn more about this author, Margaret Kerr.
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