LANSING, Mich. — Preparations are underway at the State Capitol for Gov.-elect Gretchen Whitmer's swearing-in ceremony.
Despite the cold and pouring rain Monday afternoon, volunteers worked to get the Capitol lawn ready for Michigan's 49th governor, Gretchen Whitmer's inauguration.
"You have to make sure you have enough seating for everybody. You have to make sure everybody knows where they need to be and when," said Elena Greer, a volunteer coordinator for the inauguration, and secretary with the Ingham County Democratic Party.
Thousands of people are expected, and Greer said that over 6,000 tickets have been reserved. With that many people in one place, safety is very important. Michigan State Police is the main agency that provides security.
"We'll bring in extra resources as far as troopers from the field. We'll bring in extra canine dogs. We'll bring in extra resources that we have. MSP will coordinate with the other local agencies and bring in resources with them," said Lt. Darren Green, a spokesperson for the Michigan State Police.
Some roads will also be shut down and traffic will be slowed around the Capitol to keep people safe.
The theme of the ceremony is unity and moving forward together.
"At the end of the day, whether you're a Democrat or Republican, we're one Michigan. We have a lot of problems we have to face and we really want to work with anybody to be able to get that accomplished effectively," Greer said.
The ceremony starts at 10:30 a.m. and is free. There will be nearby lots available for parking.
FOX 47 News will air the inauguratuion as well as will be streaming the ceremony live LIVE as well as on ROKU, Amazon and other streaming apps as well as on social media.
