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Going to the 'Keep America Great' rally Thursday? Here's what you need to know

The Huntington Center says to think of the security procedures as a 'step up from airport security screening.'

TOLEDO, Ohio — President Donald Trump returns to Toledo this Thursday - the first time he's been in the city since 2016 - for his first Keep America Great rally of 2020.

Vice President Mike Pence is to accompany the president at the rally. 

The rally will be held at the Huntington Center in downtown Toledo starting at 7 p.m., with doors opening at 3 p.m.

If you plan on going, there are a couple things you should know.

First, you need to register for a ticket, which you can do here

However, because all tickets for the event are free, entry is not guaranteed and is on a first-come, first-serve basis. The Huntington Center says once the arena reaches capacity, tickets will no longer be accepted.

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Officials anticipate up to 1,000 people will line up 24 hours prior to the event. 

The ONLY entrance to the rally will be at the Aquarium off Huron Street. The bridge entrance from Port Lawrence Garage, along with the entrances on Madison and Jefferson Avenue, will be closed. 

Anyone wanting to attend the event is encouraged to consider downtown traffic as a factor in planning and should make extra time for it. Huntington Center officials say it is likely that Jefferson Avenue and Huron Street will be closed to traffic around 10 a.m.

The Huntington Center also will have extra security procedures at the doors and security officials say "to think of it as a step up from airport security screening." To make entry smooth and quick, bring as few items as possible to the event. 

Toledo police say all hands are on deck for the event and officers are working hand-in-hand with the Secret Service and numerous outside agencies.

A jumbo TV screen near Huron Street will be available for anyone not able to get inside the Huntington Center to view the rally. Portable restrooms will also be available as well.

Ohio has been deemed as a crucial battleground for presidential candidates and very rarely ever votes for a losing candidate. 

Trump won the Buckeye State by a landslide in 2016. However in Lucas County, 56 percent of registered voters voted for Hillary Clinton and about 38 percent voted for Trump.  

During his presidential campaign,Trump made two appearances in Toledo. 

Democratic candidates Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar also made stops in Toledo for their campaigns in 2019.

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