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Eleanor Roosevelt a Favorite Among Americans for New $10 Bill

A poll released Wednesday showed Americans top choices for the new face of the $10 bill.
Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, widow of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, raises her hand to emphasize a point during interview on Oct. 16, 1957, St. Louis, Mo.
Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, widow of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, raises her hand to emphasize a point during interview on Oct. 16, 1957, St. Louis, Mo.AP file

Eleanor Roosevelt is the current front-runner in the race to earn a spot on the soon-to-be redesigned $10 bill, according to a McClatchy-Marist poll released Wednesday.

The poll showed that more than one in four Americans (27%) are hoping that when the U.S. Treasury Department unveils the new design, the former first lady will be the woman featured.

African-American abolitionist Harriet Tubman is the second most popular choice with 17% of the vote, followed by Native American explorer Sacagawea with 13%.

Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, widow of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, raises her hand to emphasize a point during interview on Oct. 16, 1957, St. Louis, Mo.
Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, widow of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, raises her hand to emphasize a point during interview on Oct. 16, 1957, St. Louis, Mo.AP file

Legendary aviator Amelia Earhart and woman's rights activist Susan B. Anthony tied for fourth place with 11% of the vote, and former Supreme Court justice Sandra Day O'Connor rounded out the race, nabbing 4%.

The poll comes after U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew's announcement in June that a woman would grace the $10 bill for the first time, replacing Alexander Hamilton.

In the Marist poll, about one in three women (33%) selected the longest-serving former first lady. Harriet Tubman garnered second place (18%) with women but is the leading selection among African Americans, snagging 47%.

The U.S. Treasury announced the public would be able to weigh in on the debate at the New 10 website or on Twitter with the hashtag #theNew10.

Lew said that within a few weeks of the initial announcement, there had been over 1.5 million interactions discussing the new $10 on social media and from public forums, round tables and open houses.

The bill is intended to be the first in a new series of paper currency beginning in 2020.