The scale of participation in the 2026 Readers’ Choice Poll: more than 250,000 votes cast across 14 categories, accompanied by over 600 comments. That quarter-million figure is what gives the results their weight — these are not editorial whims but measurable fan verdicts. It also explains why the winners’ list generates such lively argument every single year. PEOPLE highlighted the turnout when revealing the results on October 20, 2026, to readers everywhere.
(Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0))
Mentioned in: The Sexiest Man Alive Readers’ Choice Poll 2026 Results Are in! See Who Got Your Vote