A new poll shows an outsized number of Black women voters in Georgia are prepared to do their part in the upcoming runoff elections expected to shape the next U.S. Senate.

Black women in Georgia are fully aware of the unique power they have in the upcoming Senate runoff races and with the opportunity to forge a new path in Congress, according to a new poll. The elections between Democratic candidates Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, who face incumbent Republican Sens. David Perdue and Sen. Kelly Loeffler, are being watched closely as all political eyes are once again focused on the Peach State.

The new poll from Higher Heights commissioned HIT Strategies to poll 495 Black women Georgia voters and was conducted Nov. 20 – 25 via phone and online. It explores the issues and blind spots perpetuated by the public that Black women routinely face, while also highlighting the issues and topics relevant to Black women voters.

Eighty-one percent of the respondents said they care a good deal about who wins the Jan. 5 elections and 86 percent reported that the U.S. Senate has an impact on their day-to-day life.

“Black women know there’s a lot riding on the results of this runoff for Georgia and for the country,” said Glynda C. Carr, President and CEO of Higher Heights. “In the face of persistent voter suppression and disinformation efforts, however, we can still determine who will win these races just like we did in the Presidential election. Black women must have a plan to get the information we need about this election to our communities and a strategy to make sure we all get to the polls early and on January 5.”

Roshni Nedungadi, Democratic Pollster and Partner at HIT Strategies, expressed a similar sentiment.

“Democrats cannot flip the Senate without Black women voters, and there is an urgent need to empower Black women in Georgia with the information they need to vote,” Nedungadi said.

Much like the national statistic concerning Black women voters, those in Georgia showed up in overwhelming numbers, with 92 percent casting ballots for President-elect Joe Biden. With claims of voter suppression and disenfranchisement, Black women are again being asked to secure the vote to ensure a better pathway for disadvantaged communities.

Organizers on the ground have been working to disseminate important information to make sure voters are informed and educated on the issues.

“The majority (52 percent) of these voters do not know the runoff is on January 5th even though they express a near universal likelihood to vote (87 percent). Black women see policies that can be passed with a Senate majority like the Heroes Act (76 percent) and the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act (74 percent) as largely impacting their community. Connecting this race to these policy priorities will mobilize Democrats’ most supportive voting bloc,” Nedungadi.