Plenty of North Carolina voters did not like any of the presidential candidates this year. But they didn't stay home. Instead, they cast their votes for someone who wasn't on the ballot.
In fact, the number of write-in votes on the top of the ticket was up significantly compared to 2012.
Voter turnout in North Carolina this year was roughly in line with 2012 and 2008. But protest votes in the form of writing-in a name jumped about one percent.
That works out to more than 59,000 people statewide who didn't like any of the three major party candidates for president.
Green Party candidate Jill Stein and Independent Evan McMullin were common responses from write-in voters. But many North Carolinians got creative.
A News and Observer analysis of just one county found votes for Mickey Mouse, Bill Murray and a satirical candidate – a cat named Limberbutt McCubbins.
Other protest voters made their point with a phrase. “None of the Above” got nearly 100 votes in Wake County alone.
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