The 2011 TIME 100 Poll

Cast your votes for the leaders, artists, innovators, icons and heroes that you think are the most influential people in the world. Though official voting for inclusion on the TIME 100 list has now closed (with Rain as the 2011 readers' choice), users can continue to vote for their favorites until the final list, selected by our editors, is revealed on Thursday, April 21st

TIME 100 Candidates

Nikki Haley

By TIME StaffMonday, Apr. 04, 2011
dek
Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

Age: 39
Occupation: Governor of South Carolina
Previous TIME 100 appearances: 0

Tea Party darling Nikki Haley rode 2010's anti-incumbent wave to make history as South Carolina's first female and Indian-American governor. And although she beat Establishment candidates to win the Republican primary with 65% of the vote, the journey wasn't easy, as Haley faced racially charged attacks and allegations of extramarital affairs throughout the campaign.

Next Sofia Vergara