The swearing-in of President-elect Barack Obama may still be months away, but the event that typically draws people from all over the country to Washington, D.C. will instead force many to view the historic ceremony on television.
Tickets for the presidential inauguration on Jan. 20, 2009, are free and can be given to any American citizen. However, they are hard to come by. Tickets can be obtained by contacting a congressman. Members of Congress are designated a set number of tickets for distribution.
There are about 240,000 tickets available, making them very hard to secure. Of those tickets, 39,300 are given to 100 senators, and 86,130 tickets will be allotted to 435 House members for distribution among their localities.
This leaves many people's requests unfulfilled. The increased involvement and interest in this past election may make this number even higher.
"There just aren't the accommodations for everyone who worked on the campaign. There will be lots of people disappointed, but I understand why it has to be this way," said Janet Johnson, chair of the Montgomery County Democratic Committee for District A.
"Barack Obama had about three million donors and many volunteers, and there are only 240,000 seats," said Victoria Cochran, chair of the Montgomery County Democratic Committee's Outreach program. "People can and will go and stand along the parade route. I know people who have been involved for decades who are happy to camp out. They are expecting a million in D.C. -- I think it will be more. I think it will be the biggest inauguration ever. America will be very proud of what it sees."
The results of the ticket requests will not be finalized until January.
"I, along with thousands of other people, have called and hoped that I will be able to get a ticket. But I have no inside track," Cochran said.
The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies oversees, plans and executes all events for the inauguration. It is composed of both prominent Senate and House members, appointed by the vice president and the speaker of the House.
The Presidential Inaugural Committee regulates participation in the ceremony. To be a performer in an inaugural parade, a request must be submitted to Armed Forces Inaugural Committee, which is reviewed by the PIC. This is another way that Americans can have a chance at being involved throughout the day.
Currently the Capitol's steps have been overtaken by construction of the Inaugural Platform, which is in the process of being completed. For every election, a new platform is constructed on which the new president is sworn into office.
Inaugural activities and celebrations last around 10 days, from five days before the actual inauguration to about five days after. Judi Lynch, the faculty adviser to the College Republicans at Virginia Tech, was able to attend President George W. Bush's inauguration in 2005. She received her ticket through then-Virginia Senator George Allen.
"It was very awe-inspiring; it was a wonderful way to celebrate what this country represents," Lynch said. "There was excitement as well as energy, and there was an understanding of what we were involved in when it comes to security and the fact that we were at war. It was just a very exciting celebration."
When Obama is sworn in on Jan. 20, many of his supporters are hoping for a historic inaugural ceremony. That may mean being glued to a television set or braving traffic and crowds in Washington, D.C.
"I was watching the people in Grant Park, who were just there -- maybe they could not even see Obama. But it is still so fulfilling. ... Just to be there and to be that close to history being made would be a great honor and privilege," Cochran said, who plans on traveling to witness the inauguration firsthand.
Many American's are looking to Obama's inauguration to see the beginning of what this next presidency will bring.
"I expect his speech to be one that is often quoted -- the way Kennedy's is. I know a lot of people are going to be listening very carefully to what he has to say and where the country will go from here," Johnson said.