If internet searches are anything to go by, interest in Eden-Monaro is nearing an all-time online high ahead of Saturday's by-election.
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According to Google Trends data, Merimbula residents have searched for information on the Eden-Monaro electorate at a higher rate than anywhere else in the nation over the last week, well ahead of Bungendore, Eden, Murrumbateman, Manton and Tura Beach.
Coopers Gully sits just outside the top 10, showing the electorate is trending with internet users there more than anywhere else near Bega.
In terms of Google News searches, Manton residents are searching at a far higher rate than anywhere else in the country, followed by Tura Beach and Tumut. Interest in news searches surrounding the electorate have peaked this week, ahead of Saturday's polling day..
While last week's top trending related query, "pork barrel", has slipped to fourth place, NewsCorp-themed searches have risen, including for The Australian and political editor Samantha Maiden.
Election analyst Antony Green, Wagga Wagga and Hemp Party were also growing in trend, as was searching for the meaning of bellwether.
Former North Melbourne and Sydney Swans footballer Dean McCrae was also a popular topic, possibly being confused with the by-election's Liberal Democrat candidate of the same name.
Liberal Party candidate Fiona Kotvojs appeared in five different top 20 related trending searches, ranging from her age to her view on climate change.
William Bowe's Poll Bludger website and Democrat candidate for this year's US election Joe Biden have also been rising in popularity as related searches over the last week.
Since 2004 the highest rate of searches have been made in the political capital Canberra, more than five times as many as in the next highest, Sydney.
Peak search engine interest in the electorate was during the 2013 federal election, which saw Liberal Peter Hendy scrape in after a swing of almost five per cent in his favour.
Searches during this year's by-election are nearing the popularity of 2013, and far exceeding the interest internet users had in last year's election.
The top trending by-election searches of the century go to Canning, Melbourne, Wentworth, Batman and South Brisbane, with Eden-Monaro sitting in 14th place, sandwiched between Redcliffe and Stafford.
YouTube searches for Eden-Monaro are most popular in Canberra, and more popular since 2004 in Victoria than in the electorate's home state of NSW. However, in the last week Queanbeyan has topped the list.
YouTube searches for Labor candidate Kristy McBain have been higher in Victoria than in NSW over the last week, peaking on June 26, While Dr Kotvojs has been only popular in NSW, and peaked on June 24.
Greens candidate Cathy Griff didn't have enough data for a result, while Nationals candidate Trevor Hicks has been most popular in Canberra, peaking on June 24.
If the by-election can be measured in terms of Albo versus Scomo rather than local issues like the economic downturn after bushfires and COVID-19, the Labor leader's nickname is most searched in the ACT and NSW, while the Prime Minister's is most searched in the Northern Territory and Tasmania.