<p><img src="https://static3.businessinsider.com/image/5fd77c34e00bce00188bb1e6-1778/2020-11-03T191249Z_1873631451_RC2VVJ9LKNTK_RTRMADP_3_USA-ELECTION-VOTE.JPG" border="0" alt="voting" data-mce-source="Reuters/Mike Blake" data-mce-caption="A voter votes at the Registrar of Voters on the day of the U.S. Presidential election in San Diego, California, U.S., November 3, 2020."></p><p></p><bi-shortcode id="summary-shortcode" data-type="summary-shortcode" class="mceNonEditable" contenteditable="false">Summary List Placement</bi-shortcode><p>Each year, Google shares a look at what people searched for over the year. They usually give a peek back at what people were thinking about and cared about in the preceding year.</p><p>The searches are broken down into several categories, and none better tells the story of 2020 than the "near me" trending stories. The trending searches are the queries that had the most sustained traffic over 2019. At a glance, they show that people were concerned with voting, stocking up on essential supplies during lockdowns, and maintaining some sense of normalcy with salons and theaters. </p><p><strong><em>Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/target-employees-say-store-doesnt-stop-all-shoplifters-2020-12'r=mm-sub">Target employees claim the chain will wait to arrest shoplifters until thieves steal enough to get felony charges. Experts say it's part of a larger trend to mitigate theft across retail.</a></em></strong></p><p>Here's what people looked for in this unusual year. </p><p><strong>SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/top-trending-google-searches-of-2020-12" >The top trending Google searches of 2020 included everything from the election to the PlayStation 5see the full list</a></strong></p><h3>1. "Covid testing near me"</h3><img src="https://static4.businessinsider.com/image/5fb6cdbb32f2170011f70219-400-300/1-covid-testing-near-me.jpg" alt="" /><p><p>Finding a Covid-19 test has been difficult throughout the pandemic. In October, 22 states told the Government Accountability Office that they expected <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/covid-vaccine-tests-shortage-us-states-run-gao-report-2020-12">rapid test shortages</a> in the next two months.</p></p><br/><br/><h3>2. "Early voting near me"</h3><img src="https://static3.businessinsider.com/image/5fa132bf69331a0011bc6e7e-400-300/2-early-voting-near-me.jpg" alt="" /><p><p>The 2020 election set a record for early voting, with about <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/2020-election-records-early-voting-youngest-member-of-congress-2020-11#american-voters-set-a-new-record-for-early-votes-casting-a-whopping-101-million-pre-election-ballots-1">101 million ballots</a> cast before election day.</p></p><br/><br/><h3>3. "Fires near me"</h3><img src="https://static5.businessinsider.com/image/5f57e962e6ff30001d4e79be-400-300/3-fires-near-me.jpg" alt="" /><p><p>California had the <a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-09-08/powerful-winds-return-amid-californias-biggest-fire-season">biggest wildfire season</a> on record in 2020, and they turned skies an <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/san-franciscos-sky-is">apocalyptic orange</a> color.</p></p><br/><br/><h3>4. "Voting near me"</h3><img src="https://static1.businessinsider.com/image/5fd780019cf1420018d2f217-400-300/4-voting-near-me.jpg" alt="" /><p><p>With early voting, voting by mail, and the usual polls on election day, 2020 had the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/election-results-biden-breaks-record-most-votes-won-presidential-candidate-2020-11">highest voter turnout</a> in US election history.</p></p><br/><br/><h3>5. "Protests near me"</h3><img src="https://static3.businessinsider.com/image/5efa740d988ee3015d7789a5-400-300/5-protests-near-me.jpg" alt="" /><p><p>Protests erupted across the US and the world <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/all-the-protests-around-the-world-right-now#in-the-united-states-protests-following-the-death-of-george-floyd-have-lasted-for-nearly-two-weeks-1">following the death of George Floyd</a> after Minneapolis police office Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes.</p></p><br/><br/><h3>6. "Toilet paper near me"</h3><img src="https://static3.businessinsider.com/image/5fc138bb50e71a0011557b28-400-300/6-toilet-paper-near-me.jpg" alt="" /><p><p>Buyers stocked up for lockdowns in the spring, leading to a huge run on toilet paper. Between March and May, toilet paper <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-toilet-paper-demand-spiked-845-how-companies-kept-up-2020-5">sales were up 71%</a> year over year as it became the most purchased item in US grocery stores.</p></p><br/><br/><h3>7. "Nail salons open near me"</h3><img src="https://static3.businessinsider.com/image/5ebed966aee6a80a624d180c-400-300/7-nail-salons-open-near-me.jpg" alt="" /><p><p>Nail salon openings have been contentious since <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/california-governor-says-nail-salons-wont-reopen-till-phase-3-2020-5">California Governor Gavin Newsom</a> said the first case of community spread in the state occurred in a salon, while <a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-05-09/did-community-spread-of-coronavirus-start-at-nail-salon">owners questioned</a> the claim. Some states have allowed nail salons to open while in others they remain closed.</p></p><br/><br/><h3>8. "Ballot drop box near me"</h3><img src="https://static6.businessinsider.com/image/5f99cda06f5b310011723fc1-400-300/8-ballot-drop-box-near-me.jpg" alt="" /><p><p>The third voting-related entry shows that being able to safely vote was on people's minds.</p></p><br/><br/><h3>9. "Black owned restaurants near me"</h3><img src="https://static2.businessinsider.com/image/5f174e5b19182462453daa2f-400-300/9-black-owned-restaurants-near-me.jpg" alt="" /><p><p>People looked for Black-owned restaurants to support as data showed that Black-owned small businesses were nearly <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/black-owned-businesses-hit-harder-coronavirus-more-closed-crisis-study-2020-8">twice as likely to close</a> during the pandemic.</p></p><br/><br/><h3>10. "Drive in movie theater near me"</h3><img src="https://static1.businessinsider.com/image/5ec2e59c2618b97f0128d2e6-400-300/10-drive-in-movie-theater-near-me.jpg" alt="" /><p><p>Movie theaters were hit hard across the country, and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/regal-cinemas-coronavirus-closing-history-in-photos-2020-10">Regal closed</a> all of its 500 locations indefinitely, while drive in theaters saw a resurgence and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/walmarts-drive-in-movies-launch-locations-how-to-buy-tickets-2020-8">Walmart</a> turned some of its parking lots into theaters.</p></p><br/><br/>
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