Georgia has traditionally been a safe red state.
But when walking along the streets of suburban Atlanta during the final stretch of the US presidential election, ‘Trump’ signs, banners and bumper stickers are nowhere to be seen.
If numerous polls are to be believed, Georgia has now become a swing state.
One such poll, released by the on Friday, states the margin between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton is down to just two points.
Who are swaying Georgians towards the Democrats?
The black vote has helped turned the red state purple - as African Americans reject Republican presidential Donald Trump to back the Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.
“I just voted today quite actually,” African American voter Kenneth Burkes told SBS on Friday.
"I voted for my favourite president of the US: Hillary Clinton. Donald Trump is off the chain."
Mother-of-one and project manager Terri Houston said she believed her black community was one of many that had been alienated due to Donald Trump’s rhetoric and behaviour.
“Donald Trump speaks against pretty much everybody: hispanics, blacks, vets, disabled. So I just don’t think he’s really presidential material,” Ms Houston said.
Former Republican voters, young and old, have told SBS they were at a crossroads. That includes therapist Rhett Robinson, an Atlanta local in his 30s.
“I am planning on voting. I’m actually undecided at this moment - so [it] will be a game time decision,” he said.
“Obviously [there has been] a lot of controversy with the Republican party, so [it’s] just been a confusing election process at this point."
The traditionally Republican state of Georgia is shifting towards the Democrats, due to African American and young voters rejecting Donald Trump. Source: SBS News
The 'millennial factor'
Georgia lies in southern USA’s Bible Belt - a crucial Evangelical stronghold for the Conservatives that stretches from Texas to parts of Virginia and Florida’s north.
But with a new generation of voters, comes a challenge to the norm.
Georgia, home to several respected Universities - including Georgia Tech - is increasing in its number of young voters, who now live in the state for their studies or work.
The state is also the birthplace of the famous Waffle House chain, of which there are 2,500 across the US. It is inside one of Georgia’s 800 Waffle Houses where millennials, like consultant Lauren Wagner, openly discuss their political views over bacon and the breakfast pastry.
"I come from a deeply Republican family in South Georgia, pretty typical white, educated but also a hefty dose of religious beliefs and socially conservative beliefs,” the 27-year-old explained.
"I typically identified as a Libertarian. But this is the first time ever that I voted Democrat in my life.”
“I would be very proud to see Georgia shift to Hillary.”
Her boyfriend, 27-year-old Aaron Thompkins from North Carolina, said most millennials were unable to connect with Donald Trump and rejected his ideologies.
“I’m generally a Democrat, I agree with those principles so from the outset I was more likely to vote Clinton rather than Trump,” he told SBS.
“But then just over the course of the election, just seeing his behaviour and his inability of being a decent person made me more firm to vote for Clinton."
Religion no longer a decisive factor
Despite being a religious state, even some self-proclaimed conservatives in Georgia are rejecting Donald Trump to vote for Hillary Clinton.
Genete Bekele moved to the US from Ethiopia as a child in the 1970s. She has only in the past year become a US citizen, and will vote in her first election.
She said she was too afraid to tell her church that she would vote against Donald Trump.
“I’m a Christian, I don’t believe in abortion, but a child can look at him and see he is not fit to be a president,” Ms Bekele said.
North Carolina resident Jeff Cranford has been a Republican voter for decades. He states that his favourite US President is Ronald Reagan.
Visiting Georgia with girlfriend Omerea Thurman for a concert at Atlanta's historic Fox Theater, Mr Cranford tells SBS about his disdain for both candidates as he swills from a bottle of Belgian beer.
Like some other conservative voters, he also doesn't know which candidate he will vote for come November 8.
North Carolina residents Jeff Cranford and Omerea Thurman said they are not surprised Georgia is turning purple, as they remain undecided on who to vote for. (SBS News) Source: SBS News
“I really don’t know what each one is going to do, with ISIS, the economy, healthcare, jobs, trade," Mr Cranford lamented.
"There are so many questions to answer, but you don’t know which way anyone is gonna go."
It's a struggle Ms Thurman said she was also going through.
“It’s become more of an attack campaign than an informative campaign," she said.
“I can’t decide that if I want to go with the devil I know or the devil who may surprise me and end up doing something really good."
The last time Georgians voted in a Democratic president was Bill Clinton in 1992, nearly a quarter of a century ago.
Omar Dabbagh is in Atlanta, Georgia as part of SBS' US presidential election coverage.
