Exit polls: US voters name democracy and economy as top issues
Exit polls from this year’s US elections suggest that democracy and the economy were the top concerns for voters. Over a third of respondents cited democracy as their primary issue, out of the five options presented. The economy followed closely behind, with abortion, immigration, and foreign policy ranking lower. As the night progresses, these early results may be updated.
The economy has consistently been the leading issue for voters in every presidential election since 2008, although it remains within the margin of error for being the top concern this year.
Exit poll data revealed sharp divides between the two main political parties, echoing pre-election polling trends. Among Harris supporters, around 60% said the state of democracy was their key issue, compared to just 10% of Trump supporters. In contrast, half of Trump supporters prioritized the economy, while only 10% of Harris supporters did the same.
Despite these differences, both parties expressed concern about the state of American democracy, with nearly three-quarters of respondents stating that they believed democracy was “very” or “somewhat” threatened. This sentiment was shared similarly by both party groups.
Additionally, around 70% of voters expressed concerns about potential violence related to the election results, with majorities from both sides agreeing. This marks the first time in CBS’s exit polling history, dating back to the 1970s, that questions regarding election-related violence have been included.
However, 70% of voters were confident that the election was being conducted fairly and accurately. Confidence in the process was notably higher among Harris supporters, while Trump supporters were divided on the matter.
Voters for the two presidential candidates also were divided about how they felt about their financial situation, according to the early exit poll data.
About three-quarters of those asked who voted for Donald Trump said they and their families were worse off today than in 2020 and fewer than one in 10 said they were better off.
Among those who said they voted for Kamala Harris, four in 10 said they were doing better.
There was a split in how each candidate’s supporters felt they’d been affected by inflation too.
A third of Donald Trump’s voters in the exit poll data said it had caused them and their families “severe” hardship, compared with about one in 10 of those who voted for Kamala Harris.
Across all voters, two-thirds said the state of the national economy was “not so good” or “poor”, but this was much more likely among Trump voters.
