3.2.5. Date of Retirement and Oath

♤ A unique feature of the US Constitution is that it has prescribed the date and timing of retirement of the outgoing President as well as members of the Congress.

♤ The terms of President and Vice President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January.

♤ It means that the new President and Vice President shall take oath of the office on 20th January (or 21st January, if 20th is a Sunday) at noon of their first year of office.

♤ The election of the President and Vice president are held in the month of November and in the same month results are announced.

Thus, Americans are informed much earlier about their new President.

Naturally, the question is how this time schedule is maintained. In case of President’s death, resignation, or impeachment, the Vice President shall become the President for the remaining period. In this way, duration of the President is kept intact and the next elected President takes oath on the scheduled date.