A Democratic woman of color vies against an embattled former Republican president in this year’s historic Nov. 5 election and a new survey of 801 female registered voters in several battleground states found women voters are not a sure bet to rally behind Democratic candidate Kamala Harris.

In Indiana’s November 2020 presidential election, almost 671,000 registered voters cast their ballot. Nearly 63% were women.

Celinda Lake, president of Lake Research Partners, said clear policies about abortion and the economy, two hot-button issues among women, are not exclusive to one political party.

“In our latest research, there is a real opportunity among unmarried women younger than 55,” Lake pointed out. “This is a constituency that looks very Democratic but often feels like the campaigns don’t speak to them, that they’re not in touch with their lives.”

According to the study, an “enthusiasm” gap still exists compared with previous elections. Only 59% of those surveyed feel very motivated to vote based on their belief their voices and votes do not matter. According to the Indiana chapter of the nonpartisan League of Women Voters, candidates’ disengagement from voters’ concerns topped the list of key election participation.

The survey included the battleground states of Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Nevada, Montana and Wisconsin. But their concerns are universal: affordable housing, rising taxes, and the costly burden of health care. Lake noted whoever is elected should understand the soaring costs of medications.

“The price-gouging issue is very, very salient,” Lake explained. “Having someone fight for them to get price gouging down, fight for lower prescription drug prices, the insulin issue.”

Black unmarried women younger than age 55 represent large numbers of active voters, the poll maintained, while unmarried white women younger than 55 are a key persuasion target.