<P> Voting members of the Academy of Country Music elect the nominees . In 2016 , after an eight - year experiment intended to improve consumer engagement , the ACM announced its decision of abandon fan - voting for Entertainer of the Year and its three new - artist categories , thanks to the cost of participation and several rifts that had developed among artists . The program was controversial from the start and included the web ballot stuffing encouragement infamous among awards of the same type presented in other ceremonies . Kenny Chesney , after winning the first fan vote for entertainer in 2008 , criticized the process backstage , complaining that instead of acknowledging artists ' hard work , the vote had devolved into a marketing contest that rewarded people for `` seeing how hard you can push people 's buttons on the Internet . '' The winner , for example , of entertainer will now be voted on by the same people who select the male or female vocalist winner . </P>
<P> Voting members of the Academy of Country Music elect the nominees . In 2016 , after an eight - year experiment intended to improve consumer engagement , the ACM announced its decision of abandon fan - voting for Entertainer of the Year and its three new - artist categories , thanks to the cost of participation and several rifts that had developed among artists . The program was controversial from the start and included the web ballot stuffing encouragement infamous among awards of the same type presented in other ceremonies . Kenny Chesney , after winning the first fan vote for entertainer in 2008 , criticized the process backstage , complaining that instead of acknowledging artists ' hard work , the vote had devolved into a marketing contest that rewarded people for `` seeing how hard you can push people 's buttons on the Internet . '' The winner , for example , of entertainer will now be voted on by the same people who select the male or female vocalist winner . </P>
who votes on the american country music awards
who votes on the american country music awards
members of the Academy of Country Music
members of the Academy of Country Music