After the monthly poll closes, all ballots are reviewed for eligibility based on the current rules. Each ballot is then counted using the weighted vote system: ballots with 5 to 10 videos each count as a normal whole vote, while ballots with fewer than 5 videos are weighted proportionally. Final rankings are determined by the total weighted votes each video receives.

The order in which videos are submitted has no effect on rankings. In the event of a tie, the final order is determined at random. Ties and close calls are very common, so don’t get too caught up on exact rankings. Every video that makes the list is worth celebrating!

Behind the scenes, we use a combination of Python scripts and spreadsheets to help check video eligibility, apply vote weights, and support preservation and posterity efforts. Automation may flag votes for manual review if something looks off, but no votes are ever disqualified automatically. Every ballot is ultimately reviewed by the current host.

The weighted vote system [introduced January 2026] lets more people participate while still encouraging voters to support a variety of creators. Ballots with 5 to 10 videos count as a full vote, while ballots with fewer than 5 videos still count but are weighted proportionally. This helps prevent the results from being dominated by single-video voting while keeping the process fair and flexible. Breakdown: 1 video = 0.2 votes for that one video. 2 videos = 0.4 votes each. 3 videos = 0.6 votes each. 4 videos = 0.8 votes each. 5 to 10 videos = 1 whole vote for each video.

If you’re able to, voting for more videos increases the impact of your ballot and helps showcase a wider range of videos. That said, results are often very close, sometimes decided by fractions of a vote, so even a single weighted vote can make a big impact on the results!

The previous requirement, now recommendation, to vote for at least 5 videos is a way to maintain quality and fairness on the list. It helps to self-regulate the rankings and gives a slight boost to lesser-known videos rather than allow the monthly list to be overrun by fans of one particular video.

Protip! Voting for more than five videos will ensure your votes aren't reduced in weight if there's a problem with one of your selections. If you're an avid pony video enthusiast and you're struggling to whittle your selection down to just 10 videos, then you're helping out all the more! Thanks!

The weighted vote cap [rule 5.e] is a safeguard that applies only to partially weighted ballots [ballots with fewer than 5 videos]. It limits how many weighted votes a single channel/creator can receive from these smaller ballots.

This cap exists to protect against rare edge cases, such as a sudden surge of single or two-video ballots or attempted vote manipulation. Under normal voting patterns, the cap is very unlikely to ever be reached, and most voters will never be affected. Ballots with 5 to 10 eligible videos are not impacted by the weighted vote cap at all and are always counted in full.

Unfortunately, a Google account is required to use the voting form. Your account information is not submitted with your vote though, so you're welcome to participate anonymously. More details on the Privacy Policy page.

There are several ways to discover pony videos! Consider saving videos to a playlist or Like history throughout the month as you find them. You can check websites like Equestria Daily or similar brony outlets. Follow us on Twitter or Mastodon for occasional posts. 

Best of all, consider joining our Discord server to engage with fellow fans and creators who often share their favorite videos and recommendations! Sharing votes in #general-voting is encouraged!

Yes, with some basic exceptions. You are encouraged to spread the word and encourage others to vote, even for your own videos! However, people who direct their followers to vote for multiple specific videos or do anything else to affect the outcome unfairly will be disqualified. If you ask your followers to vote for you, encourage them to read the rules. If all of your followers vote for the same five videos for example, those ballots will be disqualified.

You can include up to two videos from the same creator!

Yes, you can vote for your own videos as long as they meet the eligibility criteria outlined in the rules.

Since we allow votes for a myriad of video platforms, we want to make sure we're properly linking to and crediting the creator of a given video. For example: sometimes videos go missing and get re-uploaded. Sometimes Chinese creators have their videos re-posted to YouTube. In both of those cases, the original creator usually [but not always] endorses the re-uploads. An example of an ineligible link would be a Derpibooru upload from someone other than the creator while the creator's work is officially uploaded elsewhere. Direct proof of endorsement isn't required, but generally avoid voting for a link unless you're sure the creator of the video is cool with it. 👍

For results from January 2026 onward, the percentage shown in showcases [and labeled “popularity” in spreadsheets] represents the proportion of total weighted votes a video received in that month. The number of people voting can vary from month-to-month. Because of this, percentages tend to be more consistent and meaningful than raw vote count, even when comparing results across different years or across different rule changes.

Percentage = (Weighted votes for a video ÷ Total weighted votes that month) × 100

A simple example: If 100 people vote in a month and 50 of them include a particular video on a full ballot, that video would receive exactly 50% popularity. Ballots with 1 to 4 videos are weighted differently, so if one of those voters only picks that same video and nothing else, that video’s percentage would drop slightly from 50% to about 49.6%.

For results prior to January 2026, all eligible ballots were counted equally: Percentage = (Votes for a video ÷ Total voters that month) × 100

No. Videos containing mature content are often featured in the monthly showcases. Videos specifically intended for children aren't eligible as per the rules. This project is intended for the grown-up brony fandom of My Little Pony. We have rules against videos intended to shock or offend, but artistic and comedic content may still be offensive to some viewers and would certainly not be for children.

Head on over to the links & info page to read about this project's history! The Top 10 Pony Videos has been active every month since 2011 with multiple hosts and volunteers.