HOUSTON — Inauguration Day is Wednesday, January 20. And there’s a reason.
The Constitution of the United States calls for it to be on the 20th. The 20th Amendment, Section One states, ‘The terms of president and vice president shall end at noon on the 20th of January.’
That’s the short answer. The long answer is a little more complicated.
Inauguration Day used to be on March 4. The framers of the Constitution wanted to allow enough time after Election Day for officials to gather election returns and for newly-elected candidates to travel to the Capitol.
But then modern advances in communication and transportation happened. Lawmakers pushed for change and the 20th Amendment was ratified in 1833.
Then on January 20, 1937, Franklin D. Roosevelt became the first U.S. president sworn into office in January.