Method and apparatus for batch voting on live broadcasts

An apparatus for voting for one or more of a plurality of candidates depicted in a broadcast of a program in a plurality of time zones comprising a temporally first time zone and a temporally last time zone, comprising:

• a user device, comprising:
• a processor;
• a memory, communicatively coupled to the processor, the memory storing processor instructions comprising processor instructions for:
• receiving an allocation of at least a portion of N1 votes among one or more of the plurality of candidates from a first user;
• transmitting the allocation of the at least a portion of the N1 votes;
• and
• transmitting a user command committing the accepted allocation of the N1 votes among the one or more of the plurality of candidates;
• wherein:
• the allocation of at least the portion of the N1 votes is accepted only if received during a first period;
• and
• the accepted allocation of the at least the portion of the N1 votes is committed only if the user command committing the accepted allocation of the N1 votes is received during a first period.

A system for voting for one or more of a plurality of candidates depicted in a broadcast of a program in a plurality of time zones comprising a temporally first time zone and a temporally last time zone, comprising:

• a user device, comprising:
• a processor;
• a memory, communicatively coupled to the processor, the memory storing processor instructions comprising processor instructions for:
• receiving an allocation of at least a portion of N1 votes among one or more of the plurality of candidates from a first user;
• transmitting the allocation of the at least a portion of the N1 votes;
• and
• transmitting a user command committing the accepted allocation of the N1 votes among the one or more of the plurality of candidates;
• a vote tabulating device, comprising:
• a second processor;
• a second memory, communicatively coupled to the second processor, the second memory comprising second processor instructions comprising second processor instructions for:
• determining if the allocation of at least the portion of the N1 votes among one or more candidates is received from the first user via the user device during the first period;
• accepting and storing the allocation of votes, only if the allocation is received during the first period;
• receiving the user command committing the stored allocation of the N1 votes among the plurality of candidates;
• determining if the user command committing the stored allocation of the N1 votes among the plurality of candidates is received during a second period;
• and
• committing the stored first user allocation of N1 votes among the one or more candidates only if the command is received during the second period.