US Exit Poll: State of Democracy, Abortion, and Economy Top Issues for American Voters

Washington: American voters have identified the state of democracy, the economy, and abortion as the most pressing issues in the US presidential election, According to the first wave of exit polls.

Nearly six in 10 people listed the state of democracy as their top concern, according to polls released by CBS News.

Abortion was the next top concern,  as five per cent of the voters felt it was a pressing issue for them. Over one in 10 chose the economy as a priority issue.

Millions of Americans came out to vote in the race to elect the 47th President, choosing between Republican leader Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris in what is considered one of the most pivotal White House contests in decades.

An exit poll by CNN said roughly three-quarters of the electorate holds a negative view of the way things are going in the US today.

Only about one-quarter call themselves enthusiastic or satisfied with the state of the nation, with more than four in 10 dissatisfied and roughly three in 10 saying they are angry, according to the poll.

Voters remain generally optimistic, with more than 6 in 10 saying that America’s best days are in the future, and only about one-third said that they’re already in the past, the CNN poll found.

It said President Joe Biden ’s approval rating is sliding nationally with about 4 in 10 voters saying they approve of his job performance and a majority disapproving.

The race between Harris and Trump remained stubbornly deadlocked for weeks with some of the election forecasters giving 60-year-old Vice President Harris an edge over former President Trump, 78, in some of the key battleground states like Pennsylvania.

(with agency inputs)