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The deadline for voting for this year's Oscar nominations has been extended after some people experienced problems with a new online voting system.

Some of the academy's 6,000 members had reported trouble logging into the voting website, while others said they found it confusing.

Organisers said the deadline would be extended by 24 hours to 4 January.

It is the first time voting has been allowed online. It was previously conducted strictly via postal ballots.

However the new system still allows members to choose between voting electronically or sticking with the traditional method.

Trade newspaper The Hollywood Reporter who reported either password issues or concerns the website could be hacked.

Documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock, whose 2004 film Super Size Me was nominated for the best documentary Oscar, that he was not able to log on to vote electronically.

"The password they sent didn't work for my login - and they couldn't email me a new login, only snail mail," the director said.

It is thought the deadline extension will help members who return from their Christmas holidays this week and experience problems voting online.

The additional day would allow either new passwords to be emailed, or for paper ballots to be sent out and returned.

"By extending the voting deadline we are providing every opportunity available to make the transition to online balloting as smooth as possible," the academy's chief operating officer, Ric Robertson, said.

Nominations for this year's awards will be announced on 10 January - two weeks earlier than usual.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said the move would "provide members and the public a longer period of time to see the nominated films".

The winners will be named at a Los Angeles ceremony on 24 February.