Election 2024 updates: Trump begins selecting cabinet positions

Americans are going to the polls Tuesday to cast their ballots in the historic election between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.

Surveys ahead of Election Day found the two candidates in a virtual dead heat nationally and in several key swing states.

Broad economic discontent, sharp divisions about the nation's future and polarized views of the major-party candidates mark voter attitudes nationally in ABC News' preliminary exit poll results.

The state of democracy prevailed narrowly as the most important issue to voters out of five tested in the exit poll.

READ MORE | 2024 exit polls: Fears for American democracy, economic discontent drive voters

The tumultuous presidential campaign has featured a replacement at the top of the Democratic ticket, two apparent assassination attempts against former President Donald Trump and the unexpected significance of a joke made in the race's final days.

Despite the twists and turns, voters have voiced a consistent priority: the economy matters most. A Gallup poll last month showed that 52% of voters consider the economy an extremely important influence on their choice for president, far outpacing any other concern.

With polls set to close within hours, ABC News spoke with experts to discuss where the economy stands at the conclusion of the race.

Take a deep dive into the state of the economy on Election Day, by the numbers here

READ MORE | By the numbers: Where the economy stands on Election Day

Consumer prices rose 2.4% in September compared to a year ago, according to the latest data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Vice President Kamala Harris will be watching the results roll in election night at her alma mater Howard University in Washington, D.C.

ABC7 News Anchor Julian Glover will be there providing live election night coverage from the watch party.

Howard University students who are from the Bay Area tell Glover that they're excited, optimistic, and proud. Read more here.

MORE | VP Harris to hold election watch party at alma mater Howard University

Vice President Kamala Harris will be watching the election results roll in at her alma mater Howard University in Washington, D.C.

Law enforcement officials say they're prepared to deal with unrest on Election Day, but expect the threat to continue in the days that follow.

Election workers across the country are being bombarded with threats and law enforcement agencies nationwide are dedicating "substantial resources" to ensure public safety during the election, a new threat assessment obtained by ABC News says.

"It is more likely that in the aftermath of the election results and the counting of the Electoral College votes, that individuals who believe that the election was rigged, stolen, or unfairly decided could decide to conduct lone offender or lone wolf attacks in response," said Javed Ali, the former senior counterterrorism coordinator at the National Security Council and now an associate professor at the University of Michigan's Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy.