On Tuesday morning, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) website posted a rally on their website titled “Election Night Event with Vice President Kamala Harris in D.C.” The event will be on The Yard from 9 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Election Day and is available for anyone to RSVP.
People who signed up for the event said they received an email from the DNC around 2 p.m. Tuesday stating that doors for the event would open at 9 p.m. They were told to meet at Georgia Avenue and Barry Place NW, near Subway.
“Due to security requirements, only confirmed RSVPs will be granted access to the event and a matching government-issued photo ID will be verified against the RSVP list by name to enter,” the email read.
President Ben Vinson III announced in a Nov. 1 school-wide email that the Harris-Walz campaign’s election night event would be held on The Yard, but that students would have limited access to the event.
Roary Wilder, director of marketing and digital strategy in the office of communications, shared that an internal email was sent out to select members of the Howard community, giving them the opportunity to attend the event on The Yard by signing up with a link provided in the email.
Some students did not receive the email. In terms of the general public, Wilder said there would be limited access to The Yard.
“It’s first come first serve. I think they’re trying to accommodate a few thousand people,” Wilder said.
People began lining up almost immediately after the DNC sent the email about the rally. Participants for the two separate events were in the same line. Everyone expected to be let in at 6 p.m., whether they were there for the election night event announced by Vinson, or the DNC rally afterward.
Brielle Jackson, a freshman chemical engineering major from Columbus, Ohio, and Camille Wimberly, a freshman biology major from Columbia, Maryland, were among the first ten people to line up outside of Chipotle and Subway.
“I had a ticket for the watch party in Burr and I was able to get a ticket for the actual event that’s happening on The Yard. I’m a cheerleader, so they were able to put my name down and I was able to get on the list,” Jackson said.
Jackson had a light blue lanyard that said “Harris-Walz Election Night 2024, Howard” around her neck, confirming her RSVP for the event on The Yard. Students and faculty picked the lanyards up from the Center of Excellence building next to the Subway on Georgia Avenue.
Becky Lee came from Milwaukee, Wisconsin to see Harris at the DNC rally. She attended a similar event with Harris and Gov. Tim Walz in Madison, Wisconsin, and explained how the process worked to the people around her in line.
“We think they’re gonna open the gates at six but the speakers will start at nine. Usually they give enough time for everybody to get in and get situated and everything,” Lee said. “So that’s what we’re anticipating.”
Lee confirmed that the security process worked in the past. She helped the man next to her in line, who traveled from Miami, sign up for his ticket.
“It’s been a pretty well oiled machine. Like, how you just sign up, you get a ticket, they send you an email confirming,” Lee said.
Secret Service members on campus declined to comment on safety related to these events.
Copy edited by Camiryn Stepteau
