Obama, Romney to target few remaining undecideds at town hall debate at Hofstra

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The stakes are high in Tuesday night's presidential debate. The polls show the election is close, so the candidates will have to make their case to a very small town hall at Hofstra University in New York.

Pundits have said only about five percent of all voters are still undecided. A new USA Today poll shows President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney are neck and neck with female voters -- so Wednesday night could be ladies night.

After the last meeting between Romney and Obama, the country saw how a debate can change the trajectory of the race.

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The audience for the town hall will be made up of about 80 undecided voters, screened and selected by polling organization Gallup. Audience members will each submit questions.

Swing voters in Kansas City said they wanted to hear about  jobs, the economy, and the deficit. But debate experts with DEBATE-Kansas City at the University of Missouri-Kansas City said making a personal connection is powerful and just as important as the issues.

"Tonight is all about creating connections with voters ..looking like you're a real person .. that you can be in a room of average swing voters," explained Gabe Cook, DEBATE-KC executive director. "If you identify with someone, then you think they share some common set of values and values and attitudes actually trump logical arguments or statistics. If I think that person is like me then I trust them to make the right decision."

Wednesday night's debate will focus of domestic and foreign policy issues.