NBC News exit poll released: What did US voters say?

12PUNTO FOREIGN NEWS

According to an exit poll conducted by the US media outlet NBC, 35 percent of voters said that democracy was the most important factor determining their vote, while 31 percent said the economy was important. Abortion (14%) and immigration (11%) were ranked as the next most important issues, while only 4 percent of those surveyed cited foreign policy.

According to the preliminary results of the poll, women are twice as likely as men to view abortion as the most important issue.

Both men and women said the state of democracy was the most important issue, followed by the economy. Two out of 10 women stated that abortion was the most important issue, compared to 8% of men. 

WAS THE IMMIGRATION CRISIS A DECIDING FACTOR IN VOTING PREFERENCES?

The immigration issue was cited as the most important problem by men (12%) at a slightly higher rate than by women (10%). Foreign policy remained a lower 'priority' for both groups.

Exit poll results may change as more interviews are conducted and more votes are counted throughout the night.

According to NBC, the poll results reflect deep concerns among voters. Nearly 3 out of 4 voters think that democracy in the US is currently under threat, while only a quarter said that democracy is secure. 

Nearly 2 out of 3 voters said the national economy is not good or is poor, while only one-third of voters rated economic conditions as excellent or good.

US presidential candidates Donald Trump and Kamala Harris 

US VOTERS THINK THEIR COUNTRY IS ON THE WRONG TRACK

The general mood in the country is pessimistic: Nationwide, nearly three-quarters of voters feel negatively about the direction of the country; 43% express dissatisfaction, while 29% say they are angry.

Nearly half of voters (45%) reported that they are currently in a worse financial situation than they were four years ago. 

This is a higher rate of dissatisfaction than in any presidential election dating back to 2008; that year, 42% of voters said they were worse off following the financial crisis of that time. Only one in four voters indicates that they are better off now than they were four years ago.

HARRIS AND TRUMP VOTERS HAVE DIFFERENT PRIORITIES

Early exit poll results also show that voters supporting Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump have different 'priorities'.

The majority of Harris voters prioritized the state of democracy. For Harris voters, abortion was the second most important issue, with 2 in 10 saying it was the most important thing for their vote, followed by the economy, foreign policy, and immigration.

Half of Trump voters said the most important issue in their vote was the economy, followed by immigration (20%), democracy (12%), abortion (6%), and foreign policy (4%).

VOTERS CARE ABOUT 'LEADERSHIP ABILITIES'

Nationwide, three out of 10 voters said that the most important candidate quality in deciding how they would vote for president was leadership ability. 

Nearly a quarter noted that they prioritized someone who could bring the needed change, followed by a candidate with good judgment (21%) and a candidate who cares about people like them (19%).

Exit polls also showed that only 41% of voters approve of President Joe Biden's job performance, while 59% disapprove. 

When we break down voters by race, Trump's favorability rating has fallen among white voters, while it has increased among Black and Latino voters compared to four years ago. Forty-nine percent of white voters view Trump favorably, compared to 57% in 2020.

News Source: 12punto