TOPICS: Exit polls in New Jersey and Virginia gubernatorial elections

Full results for New Jersey (pdf)

Full results for Virginia (pdf)

(CNN) – Independents appear to be playing an important role in the country's two off-year gubernatorial races and in both states, and they are voting Republican.

In Virginia, where 30 percent of voters identify themselves as independent, 65 percent cast their ballots for CNN's projected winner, Republican Bob McDonnell. That's according to early CNN Exit Poll data. Democrat Creigh Deeds earned the votes of 34 percent of independents.

In New Jersey, the projected winner, Republican Chris Christie, took 60 percent of the independent vote while incumbent Governor Jon Corzine, a Democrat, got only 30 percent. The candidate running as an official Independent, Chris Daggett, got just 9 percent of the independent vote. Independents made up 28 percent of the voters in New Jersey race.

Updated 10:42 pm ET

(CNN) – Independents appear to be playing an important role in the country's two off-year gubernatorial races and in both states, and they are voting Republican.

In Virginia, where 30 percent of voters identify themselves as independent, 65 percent cast their ballots for CNN's projected winner, Republican Bob McDonnell. That's according to early CNN Exit Poll data. Democrat Creigh Deeds earned the votes of 34 percent of independents.

In New Jersey, the projected winner, Republican Chris Christie, took 60 percent of the independent vote while incumbent Governor Jon Corzine, a Democrat, got only 30 percent. The candidate running as an official Independent, Chris Daggett, got just 9 percent of the independent vote. Independents made up 28 percent of the voters in New Jersey race.

Updated 10:42pm ET

(CNN) - What was on the minds of New Jersey voters as they voted for governor Tuesday?

More than a third of voters - 39 percent - said the quality they were looking for most in a candidate was the ability to bring change, and most of them said they had voted for the Republican Chris Christie, a former federal prosecutor, who CNN projects won the race. That's according to early CNN Exit Poll data.

32 percent of voters said the economy and jobs was the most important issue. Most of these voters said they voted for Democratic incumbent Governor Jon Corzine. Property taxes were the most important issue for 26 percent of voters. They voted in large part for Christie.

Updated 10:38pm ET

Exit polls: Voters divided on President Obama's performance.

(CNN) - Tuesday's two races for governor offer a snapshot on how Americans feel President Obama is handling his job.

Virginia voters are essentially split, according to early CNN Exit Poll data, with 50 percent of voters saying they do not approve of the way President Obama is doing his job. 94 percent of those respondents voted for Republican Bob McDonnell, CNN's projected winner. 49 percent of Virginia voters approve of Pres. Obama's performance and the majority of them (80 percent) voted for Democrat Creigh Deeds. President Obama won the state last year, the first time a Democratic presidential candidate won Virginia since 1964.

In New Jersey, 58 percent of voters approve of the president's performance. Incumbent Jon Corzine, a Democrat, captured three-quarters of those voters. 41 percent disapprove and 88 percent of those voted for Republican Chris Christie. Independent candidate Chris Daggett captured a small percentage of voters on both sides of the divide.

(CNN) – On Tuesday, 61 percent of men voted for Republican Bob McDonnell, CNN's projected winner in the race for governor of Virginia. Democrat Creigh Deeds got just 38 percent of the male vote, according to early CNN Exit Poll data. McDonnell also had an edge among women with 53 percent telling pollsters they voted for the Republican.

Deeds, who comes from rural Bath County, captured 56 percent of the urban vote... while McDonnell took 55 percent of the suburban vote and 69 percent of the rural vote.

(CNN) - As voters went to the polls in Virginia Tuesday to elect a new governor, the economy was on their mind.

83 percent said they are very or somewhat worried about economic conditions, according to early CNN Exit Poll data. Those who are most worried voted overwhelmingly for Republican Bob McDonnell, who CNN projects won the race. Another 11 percent said they are not too worried about the economy. Democrat Creigh Deeds captured most of that vote. Just three percent said they're not worried at all about the economy.

Almost half of the respondents said the economy and jobs was the most important issue. A quarter said health care was the most pressing issue.

More complete data will be released later in the evening.

Bob McDonnell is leading Creigh Deeds in Virginia's gubernatorial race (Photo credit: Getty Images)

(CNN) - Republican Bob McDonnell is leading Democrat Creigh Deeds in Virginia's gubernatorial race, according to CNN exit polls.

Palin argues against the president's health care proposals in a new Op-Ed.

(CNN) - Six in 10 New Jersey voters said Tuesday that President Obama had no effect on their vote in this off-year gubernatorial election, according to early CNN Exit Poll data.

Obama visited New Jersey this week to campaign for embattled Gov. Jon Corzine, who is locked in a tough re-election contest with Republican Chris Christie. When asked if Obama had an effect on their vote, 60 percent responded he was not a factor, 20 percent said their vote was meant to express opposition to him, and 19 percent said it was to support him.

More complete data will be released later in the evening. Polls close in New Jersey at 8 p.m. ET.

Exit poll: Obama not a big factor in Virginia.

(CNN) - There's been plenty of talk by political pundits that Virginia's gubernatorial contest was a referendum on President Barack Obama, but voters don't agree, according to data from CNN exit polls of people voting Tuesday in that state's gubernatorial contest.

Fifty-five percent of Virgina voters polled say that Obama was not a factor in how they voted, with 24 percent suggesting that their vote was meant to express opposition to the president, and 18 percent indicating that their vote was meant to express support for Obama.

"What you are seeing is that the president's coattails didn't have a lot of durability from last year to this. He certainly pulled in Democrats last year when he was on top of the ticket," says CNN Senior Political Correspondent Candy Crowley. "When he is not on top of the ticket, I think then it reverts to the person who actually is there and who they are voting on, so this is certainly a lesson for Democrats as to just how far the president's powers of persuasion can go. Whether or not he can translate that magic on to a different ticket, and I would say that's sort of not looking as though it does."