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Exit poll: Wash. state voters focus on economy

Associated Press
SEATTLE — A look at preliminary results from exit polling in Washington state conducted by Edison Media Research for The Associated Press and television networks: • ECONOMY: Washington voters were focused on the economy with a majority calling it the top problem facing the country — though more voters say it’s on the mend than think it’s getting worse. Just over 1 in 5 say the economy is now excellent or good. On a personal level, about half of voters here said rising prices were the biggest economic problem affecting them, while a quarter of voters said unemployment was hitting them hardest. • BETTER OFF?: About 1 in 4 Washington voters think their financial situation improved in the last four years, while slightly more said their finances have gotten worse since President Barack Obama won election four years ago. • PRESIDENT WITH A VISION: About a third of Washington voters said they were looking for a presidential candidate with a vision for the future, and a similar share wanted one who holds their values. About 1 in 8 prioritized finding a strong leader or someone who cares about people like them. About half said they strongly favored the candidate they elected. • HEALTH CARE REPEAL: Half of voters said they wanted the 2010 federal health care law repealed at least in part, while 4 in 10 felt it should be expanded or left as is. • GOVERNMENT’S ROLE: Most voters in the state favored diminished government efforts to solve problems, while 4 in 10 said they wanted government to do more. • MIND MADE UP: About 7 in 10 voters said they made up their mind about a presidential candidate before September. The survey of Washington state voters was conducted for AP and television networks by Edison Research. This includes preliminary results from a survey of 1,493 voters who voted early or absentee and were interviewed by landline or cellular telephone from Oct. 29 through Nov. 4. Results for the full sample were subject to sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points; it is higher for subgroups.