Eurovision 2018 voting: How to vote in the semi-finals and grand final
EUROVISION 2018 is finally going to be starting with the semi-finals taking place this week. Here’s everything you need to know about how to vote in the semi-finals for the Eurovision Song Contest 2018.
All the acts have now assembled in Lisbon, Portugal for the semi-finals with dreams of making it through to the final this weekend.
The 63rd Eurovision Song Contest will be getting underway with its first live show this evening following many rehearsals last week.
The first semi-final live show will be taking place tonight (Tuesday, May 8) at 8pm BST at the nation’s Altice Arena.
There will be 19 nations taking part in the first one with only 10 guaranteed to make it through.
The second semi-final will be held on Thursday, May 10 when 18 countries will be competing for 10 places in the all-important grand final.
Meanwhile, the grand final will be on Saturday, May 12 at 8pm BST.
A total of 26 countries will be participating in the grand final.
Those through from the semi-finals will be up against the host nation Portugal as well as the “big five” of France, Germany, Spain, Italy and the UK.
The UK is being represented by artist SuRie, who will be singing her track Storm.
However, the UK is currently outside favourites to win this year’s competition.
How to vote in the Eurovision 2018 semi-finals
The rules on voting on the official Eurovision Song Contest 2018 state: “You can only vote in the Semi-Final your country takes part in.
“Viewers in Spain, the United Kingdom and Portugal can also vote in the first Semi-Final.
“Viewers in France, Germany and Italy can also vote in the second Semi-Final.”
This means that UK viewers can only vote in this evening’s live show but won’t be able to vote in the second semi-final.
Audiences can only cast their votes once all the songs have performed in each semi-final.
GETTY
GETTY
There is only a 15 minute window in which to vote and people can choose their favourite song either by telephone, through SMS or the official app.
Eurovision fans can vote up to 20 times but cannot choose their own country.
The televotes make up 50 per cent of the result while regional juries in each of the competing nations will decide the other 50 per cent.
Following the changes in voting a couple of years ago, the televotes will be announced first before the juries’ points are awarded, which could change who wins.
BBC
How to vote in the Eurovision 2018 final
People from any of the 43 competing nations can vote in the Eurovision 2018 grand final.
Much like the semi-final rounds, votes can only be cast once all the songs have been performed.
There will again be 15 minutes for people to choose who they want to win and votes can be cast using telephone, SMS or the app.
Just like the semi-finals, viewers have up to 20 votes but can’t select their own country.
The Eurovision Song Contest takes place on the 8, 10 and 12 May