The First Early Exit Polls Are Here

Katie Pavlich | November 08, 2016 12:40 PM

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The first early exit polls of the 2016 presidential election have arrived.

According to a survey conducted by POLITICO, voters are going into the polling booth today wanting a stronger leader than they have in previous elections.

Asked what characteristic is most important for the next president, 36 percent of voters say they want a “strong leader,” 29 percent want “a vision for the future,” 16 percent want someone who “cares about people like me” and another 16 percent said they want someone who “shares my values.”

The percentage of voters thus far who say they want a strong leader – a characterization Donald Trump’s team made central to his campaign – is twice the percentage who said they were looking for a strong leader in the 2012 National Election Pool exit poll.

It's important to keep in mind early exit polls often change throughout the day, especially as voters head to the polls after work hours later in the day.

While Morning Consult and POLITICO are surveying voters throughout the day, the organizations will not release any data that directly characterize the potential outcome of the election.While Morning Consult and POLITICO are surveying voters throughout the day, the organizations will not release any data that directly characterize the potential outcome of the election.