With more than 500 people still standing outside, and 3,000 tickets already handed out, the Muncie Obama for America office ran out of tickets Wednesday evening.
Quickly, the campaign workers grabbed notebook paper, pens and clipboards to sign the remaining crowd to a waiting list. The campaign workers told the remaining people they would be contacted when tickets became available.
When the crowd thinned, more than 10 clipboards stacked with multiple pieces of paper, held names and phone numbers of everyone who arrived too late.
The Obama campaign announced Tuesday night that he would arrive 9:45 a.m. Saturday at Ball State University's Irving Gymnasium, with doors opening at 7:45 a.m.
With less than two days before Obama's arrival, the Obama campaign would not comment on when the office would receive more tickets.
However, those who arrived early were rewarded. Sophomore political science major Michael Karafin said he arrived at 1 p.m. to assure getting a ticket.
"I'm excited to be a voter," Karafin said. "I'm excited to be part of the process, and I want to hear what he has to say."
Before the doors opened at 5 p.m., a line snaked around the block surpassing the entrance, as campaign workers and volunteers tried to keep the mass calm as tickets were being distributed. But when the last tickets were handed out an hour later, some frustrated Obama supporters were not afraid to show their anger.
Senior Steven Olson said he had been waiting in line two hours to sign the waiting list.
"[The campaign was] really ill-prepared for this many people," Olson said.
Tommy Conroy contributed to this story.
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