Voters’ remorse? Searches spike for ‘can I change my vote’ as US election enters home stretch
With less than a week left in the race between President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden, it seems like many Americans who voted early are trying to change their mind – and in some places, may be able to do so.
Apparently, the number of searches for “can I change my vote” skyrocketed after the final presidential debate last week, and has been going steadily up, Fox & Friends reported on Tuesday. Trump, who is a fan of the morning news show, was quick to tweet about it and say that the trend “refers [to] changing it to me.”
“The answer in most states is YES. Go do it!” he urged voters.
Strongly Trending (Google) since immediately after the second debate is CAN I CHANGE MY VOTE? This refers changing it to me. The answer in most states is YES. Go do it. Most important Election of your life!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 27, 2020
Nick Flor, media professor at the University of New Mexico, watched the same show and did his own research, producing an actual graph showing the spike in searches.
BTW, did you hear that "Can I change my vote" is trending as a search term on Google? ROFL!Started peaking right after the final debate / Hunter Biden controversy. This is why social media is trying so hard to censor.#FoxAndFriendsThe answer is yes:https://t.co/xrQwOeoOAUpic.twitter.com/qZA3tPmK3u
— Nick Flor-ProfessorF (@ProfessorF) October 27, 2020
He later countered the claims that this happens in every election, posting another graph that showed a major spike in 2016, but still smaller than the current one.
LOL, no it is not EVERY election this happens — contrary to what the correct-the-record mob is frantically trying to post. And this is the highest level ever for "Can I change my vote" (dashes indicate still climbing, see below) pic.twitter.com/uOC9TdVmHZ
— Nick Flor-ProfessorF (@ProfessorF) October 27, 2020
While the search string was popular in Arizona, Tennessee and Virginia, there is bad news for voters in those states – they can’t actually change their vote, once cast. However, Michigan, Minnesota, Washington and Wisconsin do have laws allowing their citizens to void the mail-in ballots and vote differently in person, according to the New York Post.
In Wisconsin, the state elections commission actually sent out a memo on Monday, saying that many voters were calling in with requests to spoil or cancel their already cast absentee ballots, according to WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee. State law allows for three chances to spoil the ballot.
Also on rt.com ‘It’s too late to use the mails’: Former Attorney General Eric Holder temporarily CENSORED by Twitter for urging in-person votingWisconsin Election Commission spokesperson Reid Magney urged voters who want to change their ballots not to wait till the last second, saying it might take “up to seven days for the clerk to mail you out a new ballot.”
Many US states have expanded voting by mail this year, citing concerns over the Covid-19 pandemic. Early mail-in and in-person voting was already underway in many places by the time Trump and Biden squared off in the final debate on October 22.
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