Should 'American Idol' change its voting system?

In the wake of all the what-went-wrong, post-Pia Toscano hand-wringing (not to mention the Casey Abrams near ouster) in recent weeks, there's been a lot of talk about a need to revisit the way voting works on "American Idol." And the people doing the talking aren't just fans bereft of their favorite singers.

"Idol" producer Nigel Lythgoe recently said the show might consider adopting a system in which "Idol" voters determined the bottom three, and then the judges decided which contestant would be sent home.

And now judge Randy Jackson has said that he too thinks a few changes to the elimination process might be in order, in part because  the voting is biased against women. "There's a lot of young girls and young women voting.... They really vote more for guys than girls," Jackson told Ryan Seacrest on Friday in an E! News interview. Jackson predicted that this season, "at the end of the day, two boys will be left standing. Two boys."

Jackson's proposed solution? A second judges' save, like the one that pulled Abrams back from the brink.

"We might need to have, in the top 13, one save, and then in the top 10 — up to the top five, another save, because I felt that Pia was starting to hit her stride," he said. "I think we have to come up with some sort of system, because what we want, ultimately ... is a duel to the finish. The two best ones to be there at the end, duking it out."

Season 4 second-place "Idol" finisher Bo Bice, meanwhile, has expressed wariness about "Idol" voting changes that could disenfranchise the show's fans. "The format has to change a little each year to keep things fresh, but 'American Idol' is built on fan response and interaction," he told the New York Post. "It has always relied on the American public to help build a superstar.... I can tell you right now, America will always have a say in the end."

What do you think? Should "Idol" change the way it determines who gets sent home? And if so, how? Should fans or judges have the final say?

Full Show Tracker coverage of "American Idol"

-- Amy Reiter

Photo: "Idol" judge Randy Jackson. Credit: Tony Duran / Fox

Comments

[Mansour Sheibany]

I believe there should be a change of voting system. Not the extra judges come back vote. Limit the calles. I saw this in with the other show. Sure they allow voting with texting, computer and phone but, it is limited.

Currently, in the American Idol, you have unlimited calling system. people can call in and vote for their favorites as many times as they want for couple of hours. Of course people with the very good voice will leave the show and cute teenagers will win. What is happening is the people will vote using texting, phone and computer as many times as they want. Then their friends will do this and friends of their friends will do this, and friends of their friends. Soon you have hundreds of people vote for their choice
Ryan always says, on Thursday night, they had record breaking votes. Of course you do. look at the system.
That is why I have not been interested in watching American Idol, much, anymore. Oh, I do watch in the beginning and some of the competition but...

[Carolyn Laurin]

When Pia was eliminated, I remember telling my husband the voting system needs to be changed. Let America pick the bottom three and let the judges choose who gets eliminated from that point. And I think there should be two saves allowed by the judges to save all three on the bottom if it is felt warranted.

[carolyn]

I really think the judges should have more input into the voting process,I think a lot of young girls are voting for the guys,the judges know a lot more about music than most of the fans.It's not fair that the judges have no say in who stays.Please fix this problem.

[Judy Mellor]

Yes, something has to change in the voting sysem. This is no longer a singing contest. It's a popularity contest with young girls, blacks, gays, etc. voting because of these and other factors. Something has to be done, or I am going to stop watching. It's not fun anymore! America is fickle!!!! They need help in deciding the correct American Idol. Casey is so talented and Pia???? Stephano and Paul are great! Scotty is ok but not the American Idol. Jacob, Please spare me another week!!!! At this point, James Durbin should be the winner, but everything that's happened, who knows??? The judges have to take a bigger part in each weeks selection of who should stay. I like the idea of letting America pick the bottom three, and the judges say which one goes home. What to do??? I don't know, but it can't continue this way.

[tiago]

randy jackson have to be way out of his mine to proposed another save vote when the one they have now its no good and it doesnt do any good for the person they have save since they incorporate that save vote and we will never see on the duration of this show to save someone and go on to win the title of american idol for that year. stop dreaming about changes on the way it is now, i said before that they should eliminate the save vote and give it a rest.when there is nothing wrong you dont fix it . what they should be worring about at this point is to make sure that they guard the idia of one vote per person and dont let nobody hack into the system and register more than one vote for one particular contestand . who is casey abrams to tell the people who to vote and do it more than once, what i see of him is a spoil bra with his sour loosing attitude. as far as myself he is poar looser and goodby to him and with his type of music who is going to miss him not me .

[pat santiago]

im sorry people but giving he judges more power on the voting is wrong once it goes to the audiance and the poblic the judges should stay out and who will bbuying the records that this kids be making in the future compair to how many the judges be buying is not contest .no body should be able to vote more than once and that makes it fair to all contestands.you have people dreaming of how to make changes on the voting but those people are very wrong by trying to do just that base on their filling of been pour loosers,leave things the way it is ,if is not broken dont fix it.for those that claim that they stop waching the show because their favor contestand was vote out to soon well thats the way live goes some time if i didnt want to get sick in my life time im sure thats what i will do but life is abitch some time and we go on lieving and learn to deal with it,life its good and do the best you can withit,thank you and enjoy the show .