John R. Roby

jroby@pressconnects.com | @PSBJRoby

Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign will visit the Southern Tier ahead of New York's primary, with a rally headlined by former President Bill Clinton at Binghamton University on Saturday.

The campaign event begins at 7:15 p.m. in the West Gym on the BU campus, according to a news release from the Clinton campaign. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. Members of the public may attend by submitting an RSVP through the campaign website, or visiting http://hrc.io/1p4RbFh.

Binghamton University is advising those who wish to attend to plan to arrive early to avoid delays. Ample parking is available, and signs will direct people to the venue. The West Gym has a capacity of about 1,100, according to the university's athletics website.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is also scheduled to speak at the rally, which the campaign is calling a "get out the vote" event. It is the last of four events scheduled for Saturday, as Clinton's campaign pushes to maintain her lead in delegate-rich New York over Democratic challenger Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Before stopping in Vestal, Bill Clinton will hold rallies in Albany, Watertown and Syracuse.

"It's always exciting to have a former president come in to support the Democratic Party in our area, and with Bill Clinton it's a particular treat," Broome County Democratic Chairman Jim Testani said. "When Bill Clinton is speaking, he just lights up the room."

The event is the third appearance by a major party's campaign in the Southern Tier this week. Sanders spoke before 5,000 at the Arena on Monday, and Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas held a live interview with Fox News Channel's Sean Hannity on Friday at the Forum. New York's presidential primary has drawn attention from candidates that is unprecedented in recent election cycles, as no party's front-runner has yet sewn up the delegates needed to secure the nomination.

Recent statewide polls have consistently found Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump leading their rivals, though on the Democratic side, Sanders appears to be narrowing the gap recently. The two held a quickly arranged debate Thursday in Brooklyn, a sign of the unusually high stakes in New York, which has the second-highest total of unpledged Democratic delegates, behind California.

Hillary Clinton leads Sanders by about 700 delegates, 1,758 to 1,069, according to USA Today's delegate tracker. That includes Democratic Party "superdelegates" who, while unpledged until the convention, have publicly announced the candidate they back. A total of 2,383 delegates would secure the party's nomination.

On the Republican side, Trump leads Cruz in pledged delegates, 743 to 545, according to USA Today's delegate tracker. Ohio Gov. John Kasich has 143. A total of 1,237 is needed to secure the Republican nomination.

Reporter Megan Brockett contributed to this story.

Follow John R. Roby on Twitter @PSBJRoby.