Republican Donald Trump won Indiana, Kentucky and West Virginia in Tuesday's presidential election while Democrat Kamala Harris captured Vermont, Edison Research projected, as polls closed in the first nine US states, including critical Georgia and North Carolina.

The early results were expected, with the race likely to come down to seven battleground states: Georgia, North Carolina, Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Opinion polls showed the rivals neck and neck in all seven going into Election Day.

Nearly three-quarters of voters say American democracy is under threat, according to preliminary national exit polls from Edison, reflecting the nation's deep anxiety after a contentious campaign.

Democracy and the economy ranked by far as the most important issues for voters, with around a third of respondents citing each, followed by abortion and immigration. The poll showed 73 per cent of voters believed democracy was in jeopardy against 25 per cent who said it was secure.

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