Why Do We Swear In New Presidents in January? The 20th Amendment Story
Ever wonder why January is the time when a new president takes office?
Quick Reference
- Current date: January 20, at noon Eastern Time
- Set by: The 20th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified February 1933
- First president sworn in on Jan 20: Franklin D. Roosevelt, on January 20, 1937 (his second term)
- Old date: March 4, used from 1793 to 1933
- If Jan 20 is a Sunday: A private oath is taken Sunday, the public ceremony moves to Monday
In 1789, George Washington was sworn in as the first president on April 30. For the next century-plus, most incoming presidents took the oath on March 4. That date left enough time for votes to be tabulated. Before the telegraph and railroad, ballots were counted by hand and carried by certified messenger, a process that could take weeks or even months. Once the results were confirmed, the newly elected president then had to travel to the Capitol.
By the time the twentieth century arrived, though, railroads, cars, and the telegraph had made that long wait obsolete. Congress worried that the four-month gap between election and Inauguration Day left the country with a “lame duck” president for too long.
In February 1933, Congress passed, and the states ratified, the 20th Amendment to the Constitution, which moved Inauguration Day to January 20. Franklin D. Roosevelt became the first president sworn in on the new date. He began his second term at noon on January 20, 1937.
The swearing in of a newly elected president is usually paired with a celebration and an inaugural address the same day. If Inauguration Day falls on a Sunday, the address and celebration usually move to the following Monday. Two U.S. presidents, Dwight D. Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan, gave their public addresses on Monday, January 21.
A Short Timeline of Inauguration Day
The date has moved twice in the country’s history. Each move followed a change in how fast the country could count, communicate, and travel.
| Year | Date | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1789 | April 30 | George Washington sworn in in New York City. Congress had needed extra weeks to certify the vote. |
| 1793 to 1933 | March 4 | Standard date set under the Constitution, chosen to allow time for hand-counting and travel. |
| 1933 | January 20 (adopted) | The 20th Amendment ratified in February. Railroads and the telegraph had shortened the wait. |
| January 20, 1937 | January 20 (first use) | Franklin D. Roosevelt sworn in for his second term at noon Eastern. |
| 1957 | January 21 (Monday) | January 20 fell on a Sunday. Dwight D. Eisenhower took the oath privately on Sunday, gave the public address on Monday. |
| 1985 | January 21 (Monday) | Same pattern. Ronald Reagan took a private oath on Sunday, the public ceremony moved to Monday. |
What the 20th Amendment Actually Says
Section 1 of the 20th Amendment sets the terms of the president and vice president to end at noon on the twentieth day of January, and the terms of senators and representatives at noon on the third day of January. The full text is on file at the National Archives (see the Constitution amendments 11-27 page).
The nickname “Lame Duck Amendment” comes from the same section. Before 1933, an outgoing Congress could sit for four months after an election, and an outgoing president could sit for the same stretch, which was long enough for a national crisis to grow without a fresh mandate. Moving Inauguration Day forward closed that window.
Why the Oath Is Taken at Noon
The 20th Amendment fixes the change of power to “noon” on January 20. The exact clock time was chosen as a plain, national midpoint of the day. In practice, the Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court usually administers the oath on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol just before or at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
Inauguration Day Weather in Washington, D.C.
Late January in the mid-Atlantic tends to run cold. Average daily highs in Washington, D.C. for January 20 sit near 43 degrees F, average lows near 28 degrees F, per NOAA climate normals. The coldest Inauguration Day on record was Ronald Reagan’s second, in January 1985, when the outdoor ceremony was moved indoors because midday temperatures hovered near seven degrees F. The Farmers’ Almanac keeps a running record of Inauguration Day weather that goes back to 1789.
What Happens When January 20 Falls on a Sunday
When Inauguration Day lands on a Sunday, the president-elect takes a private oath at the White House or a similar location on Sunday, and the public ceremony and inaugural address are held Monday, January 21. This is the arrangement Dwight D. Eisenhower used in 1957 and Ronald Reagan used in 1985.
The Short Answer
We swear in new presidents in January because the 20th Amendment, ratified in February 1933, moved Inauguration Day from March 4 to January 20 to shorten the lame-duck stretch between election and inauguration. Franklin D. Roosevelt was the first president sworn in on the new date, on January 20, 1937.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do we swear in presidents in January?
Because the 20th Amendment, ratified in February 1933, moved Inauguration Day from March 4 to January 20 to shorten the four-month lame-duck period between the November election and the change of power.
When was Inauguration Day changed from March 4 to January 20?
Congress passed the 20th Amendment in early 1932, the states ratified it in January 1933, and it took effect that October. Franklin D. Roosevelt was the first president sworn in on January 20, at noon, in 1937.
What is the 20th Amendment?
The 20th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, sometimes called the Lame Duck Amendment. Section 1 sets the presidential and vice presidential terms to end at noon on January 20 and congressional terms to end at noon on January 3.
Why is the oath taken at noon?
The 20th Amendment fixes the change of power to noon on January 20. Noon was chosen as a plain national midpoint. The Chief Justice usually administers the oath at the U.S. Capitol at or just before 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
What happens if Inauguration Day is a Sunday?
The president-elect takes a private oath on Sunday, and the public ceremony and inaugural address happen on Monday, January 21. That was the case for both Dwight D. Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan.
Who was the first president inaugurated on January 20?
Franklin D. Roosevelt, on January 20, 1937, at the start of his second term.
Why was March 4 the original inauguration date?
It was set under early acts of Congress to allow enough time for votes to be counted by hand and carried by certified messenger, and for the president-elect to travel to the Capitol, both slow processes before the telegraph and railroad.
This article was published by the Staff at FarmersAlmanac.com. Any questions? Contact us at questions@farmersalmananac.com.
- Farmers' Almanac Staff
- Farmers' Almanac Staff
- Farmers' Almanac Staff
- Farmers' Almanac Staff
Congratulations. Every four years you ruin my birthday. I was born two hours before JFK was sworn into office.