NBC News Exit Poll: Voters express deep concern about America’s democracy and economy

The state of democracy and the economy in the United States were the top issues on the minds of voters as they cast ballots in the 2024 presidential election, according to preliminary results from the NBC News Exit Poll.

Thirty-five percent of voters said democracy mattered most to their vote, while 31% said the economy. Abortion (14%) and immigration (11%) ranked as the next-most important issues, while just 4% named foreign policy.

Men and women both said the state of democracy was their most important issue, followed by the economy. Two in 10 women said abortion was most important, compared to 8% of men. Immigration was ranked slightly higher among men (12%) than women (10%). Foreign policy lagged behind as a priority for both groups.

The exit poll results can shift throughout the night as more interviews are conducted and more vote is counted.

The issue priorities reflected deep concerns among the electorate. Roughly 3 in 4 voters said they think democracy in the U.S. today is threatened, while just a quarter said democracy is secure. Roughly 2 in 3 voters said the nation’s economy is either not good or poor, while just one-third of voters assessed economic conditions as excellent or good.

All told, the mood of the country is pessimistic: About three-quarters of voters nationwide feel negatively about the way things are going in the country, with 43% saying they’re dissatisfied and 29% saying they’re angry.