Preliminary exit polls conducted by Edison Research indicate that nearly 75% of voters in the presidential election on Tuesday believe American democracy is at risk. This sentiment reflects significant national concern after a heated campaign between Democratic candidate Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump.
First Exit Polls
The polls revealed that democracy and the economy were the most pressing concerns for voters, with approximately one-third prioritizing each issue. Other significant topics included abortion (14%) and immigration (11%). According to the data, 73% of respondents felt democracy was under threat, compared to 25% who thought it was secure.
These results highlight the intense polarization in the country, exacerbated by a hard-fought and divisive election. Trump’s campaign has featured stark and dire messaging, often fueling baseless doubts about the integrity of the electoral process. In contrast, Harris has called for unity, cautioning that a second Trump term could undermine American democratic principles.
What Did The Early Trends Reveal?
The early data, while reflecting the opinions of a significant portion of voters on Election Day and during early voting, may evolve as additional surveys are completed.
Trump’s favorability rating stood at 44%, a slight decline from 46% in 2020 when he was defeated by President Joe Biden. Harris, meanwhile, was viewed positively by 48% of those surveyed, compared to Biden’s 52% favorability in the last election.
Harris aimed to boost support among women voters to offset her lower popularity among men. Exit polls showed that women represented 53% of voters, consistent with the 52% share in 2020. The percentage of voters without college degrees, a group that typically leans toward Trump, was 57%, down from 59% in 2020.
The race, marked by dramatic events including assassination attempts on Trump, Biden’s unexpected withdrawal, and Harris’s swift political ascent, remained tightly contested after extensive campaigning and substantial financial investment.
Trump Vs Harris
Trump, who has repeatedly made unfounded claims of winning the 2020 election and whose supporters stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, cast his vote near his residence in Palm Beach, Florida. “If I lose an election, if it’s a fair election, I’m gonna be the first one to acknowledge it,” he told reporters.
Harris, who had already submitted her mail-in ballot to her home state of California, spent part of Election Day giving radio interviews to motivate voter turnout. She planned to visit Howard University, her alma mater and a historically Black college in Washington, to potentially mark the day’s significance. “To go back tonight to Howard University, my beloved alma mater, and be able to hopefully recognize this day for what it is is really full circle for me,” she said during a radio appearance.
National exit polls provide insights into voter attitudes and behaviors but may not exactly reflect the results in the key battleground states expected to decide the election. These surveys help analyze turnout patterns among different demographic groups and compare changes from previous elections, offering a real-time perspective on voters’ preferences.
Opinion polls leading up to the election indicated that the race was closely contested in critical swing states, including Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
