The Energy Information Administration (EIA) said national price for regular unleaded gasoline fell 26 cents over the last week to $2.40 a gallon, down 61 cents from a year ago.

Gasoline prices have been falling rapidly as crude oil prices have declined on slowing demand and the global economic crisis.

Over the summer, fuel prices became a major issue in the U.S. presidential campaign, as gasoline prices surged to a record $4.11 in July.

But with gasoline prices plummeting, experts said energy costs may now be a lower priority for voters on Tuesday.

"I suspect that those polls will find that gasoline prices will be nowhere near as important to voters...as they were in July and August," said Jerry Taylor, an energy expert at the Cato Institute.

"The oil price crash and related gasoline price declines are one reason. But the other is that the financial crisis has swamped all other domestic economic issues in importance," he added.

(Reporting by Ayesha Rascoe; Editing by David Gregorio)