Obama's second term in the White House was largely secured by record numbers of votes from ethnic minorities, while his popularity among whites plummeted, exit polls have revealed

Hispanics, the fastest-growing demographic in the United States, accounted for 10% of all voters in the election, the polls suggested. Of these, 71% voted for Obama, up from 67% in 2008. In a sign Republicans are failing to win over this increasingly influential group, Romney won just 27%. A record number of Asian voters - 3% of the electorate - also turned out, with nearly three-quarters backing Obama. He also won a staggering 93% of African-American votes. Yet while his popularity among ethnic minorities swelled, he received just 39% of the white votes, down by 4% on the last election, a drop his campaign had anticipated. Romney secured 59% of the white vote - the largest majority achieved by any presidential candidate in U.S. history who then failed to win.