Exit Polls 2012: Obama's Response to Sandy Not a Factor; Most Say US on Wrong Track
Early exit polls show a majority of voters saying President Barack Obama's response to Hurricane Sandy didn't influence their vote.
A slight bump in national polls for Obama in the last days before Election Day had some survey analysts concluding that the president's response to the superstorm that affected millions on the East Coast last week positively impacted some voters. But according to early exit poll information released by CBS News, 55 percent say it was either not a factor or a minor one.
Still, more than a quarter (26 percent) say the hurricane response was an "important factor" and 15 percent say it was the "most important factor" in their voting decision Tuesday.
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A majority of voters (52 percent) say the country is on the "wrong track." Forty-six percent say it's in the right direction. A majority (53 percent) also believe the government is doing too many things while 41 percent say the government should do more to solve problems.
Early exit polls also show that 39 percent believe the economy is getting better while 31 percent say it's getting worse.
Forty-three percent of voters believe Obama's policies favor the middle class. A majority (52 percent) believe Mitt Romney's policies favor the rich.
When naming the most important candidate quality, 29 percent say "has vision for the future" and 28 percent say "shares my values."
On Obamacare, 26 percent say to repeal it altogether; 25 percent want to expand it; 23 percent say to repeal some parts of it; and 18 percent say to leave as is.
Leading up to Election Day on Tuesday, national polls have indicated that the race is deadlocked. Most voters made their decision by October. Only 8 percent made their final choice in the last few days, according to CBS News. Election results are being released beginning 7 p.m. ET.
