Planning is now underway for the Inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States.
The ceremony is scheduled to take place on the West front of the U.S. Capitol, and my office will receive a limited number of tickets to view the ceremony from the U.S. Capitol Grounds and a portion of the National Mall.
In order to be impartial, all ticket requests were placed into a lottery system. Unfortunately, due to the large number of requests, we are no longer accepting names for the lottery. The winners of the lottery will be notified no later than January 7, 2009. Each person who wished to enter the lottery was assigned a randomly generated number, and the winners were then drawn.
CAUTION:
No website or other ticket outlet actually has inaugural swearing-in tickets to sell, regardless of what they may claim.
The remainder of the National Mall will be open to the public to attend without tickets. Large
screen televisions will be made available so that as many people will be able to see and hear the Inauguration ceremony as possible. Following the Ceremony, the procession of the President and the inaugural parade along Pennsylvania Avenue is also open to the public.
This occasion marks a historic moment in American history, and I encourage you to brave the cold and the crowds to experience all that Washington, D.C. has to offer during the week of the inauguration ceremonies. Although inauguration tickets are scarce, many people still come to Washington to observe the festivities and parades which tickets are not required for. Additionally, my office would be happy to assist in scheduling tours of the U.S. Capitol Building and other national landmarks. You should be aware however, that the District of Columbia is expecting well over 3 million visitors to the National Capital Region during the week of inauguration. Therefore in order to plan accordingly, please inform my D.C. office as early as possible, so we may assist in making your visit to our nation’s capital a memorable one.
If you have been notified that you have recieved tickets, or you are planning in participating in the Inauguration week activities please Click Here for more information.