Women key 'undecided' demographic

WASHINGTON, Oct. 19 (UPI) -- Sixty percent of undecided voters are women and the U.S. elections could turn on their participation, President Gloria Feldt of Planned Parenthood said Tuesday.

"The votes cast by women will mean the difference between whether John Kerry or George Bush inhabits the White House for the next four years," Feldt said at a panel discussion with national pollsters organized by Planned Parenthood.

Understanding the diversity of potential women voters is important in motivating them, said one panelist.

"Most urban women support (Sen. John) Kerry, while most rural women back (President) Bush. Suburban women are the toss up," said Lori Weigel, a partner with Public Opinion Strategies, a Republican polling firm.

Pollsters said there is a tendency for married women to favor Republicans, but a marriage gap exists as well. Unmarried women give a 17-point advantage to Kerry, while married women give Bush a 6-point advantage," said Celinda Lake, president of Lake, Snell, Perry & Associates and a leading Democratic Party strategist.