The state of democracy and the economy in the United States were the top issues on voters’ minds as they cast their ballots in the 2024 presidential election, according to preliminary results from the NBC News Exit Poll.

Thirty-five percent of voters said democracy was most important to their vote, while 31% said the economy. Abortion (14%) and immigration (11%) were cited as the next most important issues, while only 4% cited foreign policy.

Both men and women said the state of democracy was their most important issue, followed by the economy. Two in ten women consider abortion the most important, compared to 8% of men. Immigration scores slightly higher among men (12%) than among women (10%). Foreign policy was left as a priority for both groups.

Exit poll results could shift overnight as more interviews are conducted and more votes are counted.

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The priorities of the issue reflected deep concerns among the electorate. About three in four voters said they think 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 is neither good nor bad, while only a third of voters rated economic conditions as excellent or good.

Overall, the mood in the country is pessimistic, with about three-quarters of voters across the country feeling negatively about the way things are going in the country, with 43% saying they are dissatisfied and 29% saying they are angry .