The first exit poll was conducted in a gubernatorial contest in 1968. Since that time, exit polls have been important to understanding the messages voters send in elections.

The traditional exit polls, where voters are interviewed leaving their polling places, aren’t as big a feature in assessing voter opinions as they were in the past. In 2026, we have a broader effort, the Voter Poll. It was conducted by SSRS, a social science research firm. Sponsors are ABC, the Associated Press, CBS, CNN, Fox, MS Now, and NBC.

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