The state of democracy and the economy in the United States were the top issues for voters when casting their ballots in the 2024 presidential election, according to preliminary results from the NBC News Exit Poll.

35 percent of voters said democracy was most important to them, while 31 percent said the economy was most important. Abortion (14%) and immigration (11%) were ranked as the second most important issues, while only 4% cited foreign policy.

Both men and women said the state of democracy was their top 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 among women (10%). Foreign policy remained a priority for both groups.

The exit poll results may shift throughout the night as more interviews are conducted and more votes are counted.

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The issue priorities reflected voters' deep concerns. About three in four voters said they believe democracy in the U.S. is under threat today, while only a quarter said democracy is safe. About two in three voters said the country's economy was either not good or bad, while only a third of voters rated economic conditions as excellent or good.

All in all, the mood in the country is pessimistic: around three quarters of voters across the country assess the development of things in the country negatively, 43% say they are dissatisfied and 29% are angry.