While TIME hasn’t officially announced their “Person of the Year” yet, their readers have spoken.
In an online poll, TIME readers have chosen Democratic presidential candidate and Senator from Vermont, Bernie Sanders, as their choice for the most influential person of the year.
The voting for the online poll ended Sunday at midnight. A former Independent candidate, Bernie Sanders topped everyone with 10%. He finished over second-place finisher Pakistani girls’ education activist Malala Yousafzai, with 5.2%, and Pope Francis, who won TIME’s 2013 “Person of the Year.”
Sanders also finished above other political figures such as President Barack Obama and presidential hopefuls, Republican Donald Trump (1.8%) and Sander’s Democratic rival Hillary Clinton (1.4%). To put things in perspective,
Late Show host Stephen Colbert, singer Adele, and actor Jennifer Lawrence are some of the names who finished in front of Trump and Clinton.
As of right now, Clinton has a 20 point lead over Sanders for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination. And while many within the Democratic ranks are supporting Clinton, Sanders has galvanized voters with his rhetoric on getting big money out of politics and changing the political landscape. He has used Twitter to his advantage to get out his message and reach the youth movement including his use of the clever hashtag #FeelTheBern.
On Wednesday morning, TIME editors will announce the official 2015 “Person of the Year” live on the
Today show. This is the person the editors believe has had the greatest influence – good or bad – on the news this year.
