Vice President Kamala Harris will hold a rally in Atlanta on Oct. 19 to cap the first week of in-person early voting in Georgia as both campaigns focus increasing attention on the battleground state.

The Democrat’s plan to hold the Atlanta event Saturday surfaced hours after former President Donald Trump’s campaign announced it would hold a rally on Tuesday in metro Atlanta to rev up Republican voters.

Both rivals are fiercely campaigning for Georgia and a handful of competitive states that could decide the November vote. Polls show Trump and Harris are neck-and-neck in Georgia ahead the three-week advanced voting period starting Tuesday.

That’s when the race for president in Georgia enters its most crucial phase yet and dueling campaigns kick their political machines into higher gear as they work to motivate millions of voters to head to the polls.

There’s a rare consensus among political leaders and senior strategists that Georgia remains up for grabs. And the busy calendars for the campaigns only reinforce that idea.

Harris’ trip to Atlanta is her fifth in Georgia since becoming the party’s nominee. She’s held boisterous rallies in downtown Atlanta and Savannah, delivered an emotional address about abortion rights in Cobb County and surveyed Hurricane Helene damage in Augusta.

Trump has also crisscrossed Georgia in hopes of avenging his 2020 defeat to Democrat Joe Biden. Since Sept. 30, Trump has made two separate trips to Valdosta and Augusta, using his latter appearance for an onstage reconciliation with Gov. Brian Kemp.

He’s already scheduled three trips to Georgia over the next two weeks. He will hold a rally in metro Atlanta on Tuesday after taping a Fox News town hall in Forsyth County. And he plans to headline a National Rifle Association convention in Savannah on Oct. 22 followed by a Gwinnett County rally on Oct. 23.

Former President Donald Trump greets with Gov. Brian Kemp during a press event while traveling to east Georgia to survey damage from Hurricane Helene, Friday, October 4, 2024, in Evans. Former President Donald Trump and Gov. Brian Kemp made their first appearance together since before the 2020 election, traveling to east Georgia to survey damage from Hurricane Helene. (Hyosub Shin / AJC)

Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC

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Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC