Google Searches for 'Write-In' Just Surged Massively

Americans are apparently looking for someone, anyone, other than Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton to vote for in the presidential election—just as long as that someone isn't, you know, someone already on the ballot. Google Trends data shows that online searches for "write-in" jumped by more than 2,800% over the past week, CNN reports. That's the highest level it's hit since 2004. And the top five states searching for alternatives are either Democratic strongholds (Vermont, Delaware, New Jersey) or Republican ones (Utah, Indiana), rather than states that tend to fall into purple territory. People are, in particular, interested in Bernie Sanders and Mike Pence as write-in candidates, with the searches "is Bernie Sanders a write in candidate" and "write in Mike Pence" both jumping more than 2,000% over the past week. Also a popular potential write-in, particularly in Utah: Mitt Romney. (More Election 2016 stories.)