Harris requests permit for political event on Ellipse 1 week from election

Vice President Harris’s campaign requested a permit for an event at the Ellipse in Washington, D.C., next Tuesday, one week before Election Day.

The Harris campaign sent a request earlier this month to the National Park Service to use the National Mall on Oct. 29 for “First Amendment Activity” from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., according to an application for a permit obtained by The Hill’s partner NewsNation.

The campaign then sent an updated request Monday to the National Park Service to move the proposed speech to the Ellipse.

In the application, the campaign included a request for a stage and a setup for a standing crowd. It estimated about 7,500 people would attend the event. The campaign outlined that there would be a speaking program, consisting of four to five speakers that would include some elected officials.

The campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Ellipse, which is south of the White House, was the site of the Jan. 6, 2021, pro-Trump rally that former President Trump spoke at before attendees headed to the U.S. Capitol.

Harris has made condemning Jan. 6 and Trump’s actions that day a centerpiece of her campaign, warning against electing him because he is after “unchecked” power.

The location of the event could suggest that will be a large part of Harris’s closing argument.

The vice president hasn’t campaigned much in Washington, D.C., other than using her residence as a site for remarks and interviews. A major campaign event in D.C. would be a break from her travel to battleground states.