Nearly three-quarters of presidential voters believe American democracy is under threat, according to national exit polls from Edison Research, reflecting the deep anxiety the nation is facing after the contentious campaign between Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump.

Democracy and the economy ranked as the most important issues for voters, followed by abortion and immigration, the data showed. The poll found that 73 percent of voters believed democracy was under threat, compared to only 25 percent who said it was safe. Reuters. 

The numbers reflect only a fraction of the tens of millions of people who voted, both before and on Election Day, and preliminary results are subject to change overnight as more people are polled.

The two rivals were headed for an uncertain finish after a whirlwind campaign as millions of American voters waited in quiet, orderly lines to choose between two sharply different visions for the country.

A race thrown together by unprecedented events – two assassination attempts against Trump, President Joe Biden's surprise withdrawal and Harris' rapid rise – has resulted in billions of dollars spent and months of frenetic campaigning.

Trump voted near his home in Palm Beach, Florida.

"If I lose an election, if it's a fair election, I'll be the first to admit it," Trump told reporters.

Harris, who previously mailed in her ballot in her home state of California, spent part of Tuesday in interviews encouraging listeners to vote. Later, she was scheduled to address students at Howard University, a historically black college in Washington where Harris was an undergraduate.

"Yeah, yeah, I can hope that I recognize this day for what it is, it's really fulfilling for me," Harris said in a radio interview.

The results of national exit polls provide an important window into the nation's thinking, but they may not directly align with the seven battleground states expected to decide the presidential election.

Exit polls capture variations between turnout in different demographic groups, such as male versus female voters or college-educated versus uneducated voters, and can provide insight into how turnout has changed since past elections.

One key advantage of exit polls is that all the people polled are, by definition, people who voted in this election.

Pre-election polls showed candidates running in each of the seven states most likely to decide the winner: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

The contest reflects a deeply polarized nation whose divisions have grown stronger during a fiercely competitive race. Trump has used increasingly dark and apocalyptic rhetoric on the campaign trail. Harris called on Americans to come together, warning that a second Trump term would threaten the foundations of American democracy.