Exit Poll: Most Voters Want ‘Strong Leader’

Exit Poll: Most Voters Want ‘Strong Leader’
A man casts his ballot at polling station during New Jersey's primary elections in Hoboken, N.J., on June 7, 2016. (Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/AFP/Getty Images)
Epoch Newsroom
11/8/2016
Updated:
11/8/2016

An early exit poll suggests most voters are looking for a “strong leader” as compared to previous presidential elections. It’s worth noting that the result could shift significantly over the course of the day.

The Morning Consult/POLITICO Exit Poll suggests that very few voters are “feeling joy and pride” on Election Day.

About 36 percent of voters said they’re looking for a “strong leader” while another 29 percent say they want a “vision for the future,” and another 16 percent are looking for a person who “cares about people like me.” Another 16 percent want someone who “shares my values,” Politico wrote.

Politico notes that the “strong leader” comment corresponds to the image brought about by Trump’s team during the campaign. That number, 36 percent, is twice the amount seen during the 2012 election.

Voters are also relieved the election season is coming to an end. Eighty-five percent of voters said in the Politico report that they “just want it to be over,” and another 72 percent are “anxious” while 71 percent are “nervous.” 

The Morning Consult/Politico exit poll was carried out from Oct. 18 to Nov. 8 among 6,782 early and Election Day voters. The Morning Consult poll was described as a “breakout“ company of the 2016 election.

The interviews were conducted online.