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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."

Exit poll: Economy concerns New Jersey voters most.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - The economy was the most important issue on the minds of New Jersey voters Tuesday, early CNN Exit Poll data showed.

Nearly a third of the voters heading to the polls in this off-year election pitting Democratic Gov. John Corzine against Republican Chris Christie, 31 percent, said the economy was the most important issue, while 26 percent said property taxes, 20 percent indicated corruption and 18 percent identified health care.

Soaring property taxes and a high profile corruption sting that snared state and local officials have been important issues in this year's election.

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

(CNN) - The economy and jobs are the number on issue on the minds of voters in Virginia, according to data from CNN exit polls Tuesday.

Forty-six percent of Virginian voting Tuesday, as Republican Bob McDonnell and Democrat Creigh Deeds faced off for the governor's mansion, say that the economy and jobs are the most important issue to their vote. One in four indicate that health care reform is their most pressing issue, 14 percent said taxes were upmost on their minds, and 8 percent suggest that transportation woes were most pressing.

"The economy as the number one issue probably bodes well for the Republicans in Virginia," says CNN Senior Political Correspondent Candy Crowley.

Those questioned in exit polls were asked their opinions after they voted, as they departed polling stations.

(CNN)– National exit polling shows 53 percent of of the voters considered the U.S. Supreme Court an "important factor" in their vote Tuesday. Fifty-two percent of these voters supported Barack Obama, while 46 percent supported John McCain.

National exit polling shows 18 percent of today's voters were aged 18-29. While that 's up sharply from this age group's 12 percent turnout for the 2006 election, its exactly the same as the percentage of 18-29 year olds as in the 2004 and 2000 presidential elections.

Seventeen percent of the voters in 1996 were 18-29 year olds and in 1992, the number was 21 percent. That means, if today's trend holds, candidate Bill Clinton will have turned-out a larger percentage of young voters in 1992 than Barack Obama did this year. In Ronald Reagan's re-election year of 1984, 24 percent of the voters were 18-29. When Jimmy Carter was elected in 1976, a full 29 percent of the voters were 18-29.

Among this year's 18-29 year olds, exit polling shows 66 percent voted for Obama and 31 percent for McCain

(CNN)–Exit polling shows ninety-five percent of today's voters in Michigan feel the national economy is "not so good" or "poor." They voted for Barak Obama by a margin of 60 percent to 37 percent. Only 4 percent of today's voters in Michigan think the national economy is in good shape. They went 79 percent for McCain. The "excellent" category for the national economy got a zero percent response in Michigan.

Eighty-eight percent of Michigan's voters said the job situation in their area is "worse today." They went for Obama 62 percent to 36 percent. Only 10 percent called it "about the same." Sixty-six percent of these Michigan voters cast ballots for McCain

(CNN) – Barack Obama can thank Colorado's Latino voters for his victory in the state.

White voters in Colorado - who made up 80 percent of the electorate - evenly split their votes between Barack Obama and John McCain, 49 percent each, exit polls from Tuesday's presidential race show.

But the Latinos, who made up 13 percent of the electorate, went 2-to-1 for Obama - 64 percent to 34 percent.

Men made up 48 percent of Colorado's electorate. Exit polling also showed them splitting evenly between McCain and Obama at 49 percent each. And women, who made up 52 percent of Colorado's voters, went for Obama by 56 percent to 42 percent.

Diane Padolsky flashes a thumbs-up to a passing motorist in rural Colorado.

(CNN) - White voters in Colorado - who made up 80 percent of the electorate - evenly split their votes between Barack Obama and John McCain, 49 percent each, exit polls from Tuesday's presidential race show. Latino voters made up 13 percent of the electorate, and they went 2-to-1 for Obama - 64 percent to 32 percent.

Men made up 48 percent of Colorado's electorate. Exit polling also shows them splitting evenly between McCain and Obama at 49 percent each. And women, who made up 52 percent of Colorado's voters, went for Obama by 56 percent to 42 percent.

Obama supporters react to news that he is the projected to be the next president.

(CNN) - American voters - who elected Barack Obama president tonight - made their choice with a mixture of excitement and tempered optimism. Among the electorate as a whole, 30 percent indicated they would be excited if Obama won the election while 24 percent said they would be optimistic but not excited. Reflective of the election results, only 14 percent said they would be excited if McCain were elected and 32 percent optimistic.

Negative feelings and expectations are also held toward both candidates. Twenty-five percent reported they would be scared if Obama were elected and 20 percent concerned but not scared. With respect to McCain, 28 percent said they would be scared and 25 percent concerned.

McCain-Palin signs line a row of homes in Philadelphia Tuesday.

John McCain lost Pennsylvania because his campaign strategy in the state did not play out as planned:

1) McCain counted on older voters; Obama carried voters 65-and-above by a 51 percent to 48 percent margin. (Nationally, only 44 percent of the 65-plus age group counted thus far reports voting for Obama.)

2) McCain counted on working class white voters. Obama won whites with incomes under under $50,000 by a 52 percent to 47 percent margin. (Nationally, Obama is carrying 48 percent of this group.)

3) McCain also counted on drawing Pennsylvania voters who supported Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary. Obama won 81 percent of Pennsylvania Democrats who preferred Hillary Clinton in the primary (Nationally, the figure is 85 percent).

(CNN) – Among voters surveyed today, a bare majority - 51 percent - think the government should do more to solve problems. Forty-three percent believe the government is doing too much.

At the same time, early exit polling shows only a minority of voters - 40 percent - support the $700 billion government plan to assist failing financial companies. Fifty-six percent are opposed.