News & Politics

Kamala Harris’s DC Rally Now Expects More Than Twice as Many People

An updated permit for the Veep's closing remarks on the Ellipse predicts 40,000 attendees. The police say they're expecting more than that.

Vice President Harris in February. Photograph by Lisa Ferdinando/US Department of Defense via Flickr.

As a decidedly non-swing non-state, DC rarely attracts political rallies during campaign season. But Vice President Kamala Harris is slated to make her campaign’s closing arguments on the Ellipse Tuesday evening, with one week left to fire up voters before Election Day on November 5. And, according to National Park Service estimates, the District is all over it.

The event’s permit has been amended three times since its initial approval last week. As of Tuesday morning, an NPS spokesperson tells Washingtonian that officials now expect 40,000 attendees—double the park service’s most recent projection of 20,000. The updated permit also includes an extra day to strike staging. The campaign’s estimate may be low: DC Police Chief Pamela A. Smith said Tuesday that the department expects more than 52,000 people.

The northeast grounds of the Washington Monument have been designated for overflow crowds, and it looks like they’ll be put to use. People are already lining up near the Ellipse to secure a good spot ahead of Harris’s remarks. If you’re experiencing FOMO, free online registration is still available—Washingtonian has reached out to the DNC for information on whether attendance will be capped, but we haven’t heard back yet.

DC police announced several road closures related to the event Monday afternoon, set to take effect at noon. A number of parking bans are already in place. Those heading over to the White House grounds for Harris’s speech—or to the Caps game at Capitol One Arena, or the High Heel Race in Dupont Circle—would be wise to take public transportation.

Kate Corliss
Editorial Fellow