The 57th Presidential Inauguration Ceremony

I welcome all Ohioans to Washington, D.C. for the 57th Presidential Inauguration ceremony to be held on January 21, 2013. I appreciate your desire to witness this landmark moment. Since this event is open to everyone, the National Mall will have non-ticketed areas available to the public for viewing the ceremony.  

At this time, the lottery for tickets has closed.

 

In 2008, my office received more than 20,000 requests from Ohioans for our allotment of a few hundred tickets. With similar demand expected this year, we will again distribute tickets by lottery. Entries will be accepted until 11:59 pm on Sunday, December 16th, 2012. Ohioans may enter their names once per household for up to two tickets using the form below. Winners will be notified on December 18th. 

Individuals who are selected to receive tickets will need to pick them up in person prior to Inauguration Day.  Due to security reasons, tickets may not be mailed.  It is also against the law for tickets to be sold.  Additionally, the Capitol Building and Capitol Visitors Center will be closed to the public starting at 5pm Friday, January 18th through Wednesday, January 22nd at 9am.  My office will be unable to provide tours of the Capitol during that time.

If you decide to attend the Inauguration, please be aware that the ceremony is outside and the weather will be cold and possibly wet. You will be standing for several hours before and during the ceremony -- whether you are in a ticketed area or not. Additionally, car traffic near the Capitol and around the Mall will not be possible on Inauguration day. One of the best ways to travel around Washington and to the Inauguration on January 20th will be the D.C. Metrorail system. There may be waits up to several hours long on Inauguration day for a train, so please plan accordingly. I encourage you to visit the Metro Inaugural Page, which should be able to answer any questions you may have about Metro service on Inauguration day -- including Metro Stop closings near the Capitol.

Information on tickets that can be purchased for Inaugural events other than the swearing-in ceremony—such as Inaugural balls— is available through the Presidential Inaugural Committee. For more information on Inaugural events, you may also visit http://inaugural.senate.gov/.

If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact my office at (202) 224-2315 or use the contact form below.