Hundreds of Vermonters will be attending next week’s inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama courtesy of the state’s congressional delegation.
The offices of Sens. Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders and U.S. Rep. Peter Welch received so many requests for tickets they set up a lottery system.
Each Senate office will be distributing 26 seats to the inaugural and about 365 standing tickets. Welch will be distributing fewer tickets.
Obama will succeed President George Bush at noon on Jan. 20.
Ann Charron of Burlington won tickets to attend along with her husband Alan.
The 67-year-old Charron, a Democratic activist, wanted to attend because her father attended the 1961 inauguration of President John Kennedy.