The Motion Picture Academy announced Thursday that it has extended by two weeks the deadline for members to request a paper ballot for the 85th Academy Awards.
The decision moves the deadline to Friday, Dec. 14, from the original date of Nov. 30. The voting period for nominations begins on Monday, Dec. 17, and closes on Thursday, Jan. 3.
The new date will give members time to fully understand the array of voting options that are available to them this year.
“With the introduction of electronic voting this year, members must either register to vote electronically or request a paper ballot,” Academy COO Ric Robertson said in a statement. “We’re extending the deadline for requesting paper ballots to make completely sure that no member who prefers this method misses the boat.”
According to the Academy, a majority of its members have already completed the registration process to vote online. Registration for online voting runs through Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2013.
The Academy Awards for 2012 will be presented on Feb. 24, 2013.
