A recent exit poll indicates that most registered voters acknowledge President-elect Trump’s win in the White House race, irrespective of their personal opinions on the outcome. In a survey conducted by YouGov/Economist and published on Friday, 75 percent of registered voters stated they believed Trump’s victory over Vice President Harris was legitimate.
Party-wise, 52 percent of Democrats, 77 percent of independents, and a 97 percent of Republicans accepted the results. The poll further revealed that more than two-thirds of respondents believed their votes were counted accurately and that the election was conducted fairly. In a similar survey from October, just 55 percent of participants expressed substantial confidence that their votes would be counted correctly.
The Hill/Decision Desk HQ called the election for Trump early on Wednesday, with Harris publicly conceding soon after. Both President Biden and Vice President Harris have advocated for a peaceful transition of power, asserting the fairness of the election.
Despite this, 46 percent of registered voters anticipated the likelihood of protests over the results, with 55 percent of Trump supporters and 37 percent of Harris supporters expecting such events.
When asked about possible violence, 36 percent of respondents felt it was “very or somewhat likely” after the election, with 50 percent of Trump supporters and 21 percent of Harris supporters sharing this concern.
Only a small portion, 9 percent, believed voter fraud was serious enough to have altered the results. Approximately 66 percent of voters reported that Trump’s support exceeded their expectations. Conversely, 21 percent felt the numbers aligned with their predictions.
The GOP nominee emerged victorious in all seven battleground states — Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Nevada, North Carolina, Georgia, and Wisconsin. He also gained ground in traditionally Democratic-leaning states such as Illinois, New Jersey, and Massachusetts.
Additionally, Trump appears poised to secure the popular vote, marking a first for a Republican candidate since George W. Bush’s 2004 victory. According to the survey, 58 percent of registered voters felt that Harris received fewer votes than anticipated, while 14 percent believed her numbers matched expectations.
The Economist/YouGov exit poll was conducted from November 6 to 7, polling 1,590 registered voters, with a margin of error of approximately 3 percentage points.