‘Dancing With the Stars’ Season 35 premiere gets messy as voting glitch sparks confusion before first elimination

The Season 35 premiere of Dancing With the Stars (DWTS) took an unexpected turn when a technical problem disrupted the voting process, forcing viewers to switch methods while the competition was still underway.

The issue emerged during the September 15 live broadcast, just as the first group of celebrities competed for votes. Hosts Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough informed viewers that online voting was unavailable, leaving text messages as the only voting option for the night. Variety reported that the situation was later clarified further, with votes submitted online ultimately excluded from the first-night results.

DWTS online votes discarded after technical problem

According to reports from the premiere, viewers who attempted to vote through the show's online platform were subsequently told that those votes would not count. Text votes became the basis for audience voting during the first night.

The voting complication was particularly complex because Season 35 also features two contestants with nearly identical first names: Conner Leavitt, paired with professional dancer Adele Zaikman, and comedian Connor Wood, partnered with Rylee Arnold. ABC's voting instructions required viewers to distinguish between them, using Conner L or Connor W respectively.

Conner Leavitt eliminated after first-night performances

By the end of the first episode, Conner Leavitt and Adele Zaikman were eliminated after their salsa to Tag Team’s “Whoomp! (There It Is),” ending their run in the competition after one performance.

The elimination came during a special two-night premiere structure. ABC said the September 15 episode featured the male celebrities, while the female contestants will take the ballroom floor on September 16, with another elimination scheduled for the second night.

Harry Shum Jr. leads the first night's scoreboard

Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson finished the night with the highest judges' score, receiving 21 out of 30 for their cha-cha to Earth, Wind & Fire's “Let's Groove”.

Paralympic gold medalist Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach followed with 20 points for their tango to Kelly Clarkson's “Since U Been Gone.” Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess received 17, while Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold and Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart each scored 16.

Season 35 continues with the female celebrities

The new season features 16 celebrities, including Julia Stiles, Jenna Dewan, Tatyana Ali, Giada De Laurentiis, Maura Higgins and Ciara Miller. ABC confirmed that the season is being presented as a two-night premiere, with the contestants split between the September 15 and September 16 episodes.

The second premiere episode airs September 16, when the female celebrities make their competitive debuts and another contestant is eliminated. The season is airing live on ABC and Disney+, with episodes available the following day on Hulu.