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Ballotpedia's 2020 Election Help Desk: Transitions of power and taking office
Click here for more information about our 2020 election coverage.
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The 2020 election took place against a backdrop of uncertainty. Our readers had questions about what to expect in elections at all levels of government, from the casting of ballots to the certification of final results. Ballotpedia's 2020 Election Help Desk was designed to answer those questions. At the end of one term of office and beginning of another, there is a transition of power between the outgoing official and the newly elected official. For more 2020 election coverage on Ballotpedia, click here. If you have a question you'd like to see answered, contact our team.
Frequently asked questions related to transitions of power and taking office include:
- Who is the president if election results are unknown by January 20, 2021?
- Who serves in Congress if election results are unknown by January 2021?
- What happens if the winning presidential candidate becomes incapacitated before taking office?
- Who serves in a state or local government if election results are unknown?
As always, if you need to know what is on your ballot in November 2020, click here to use our sample ballot lookup tool.
Who is the president if election results are unknown by January 20, 2021?
The current presidential term officially ends on January 20, 2021. Even if the election results are not finalized by that date, President Donald Trump (R) will no longer be president, and Vice President Mike Pence (R) will no longer be vice president. What happens next would depend on several factors. Click here to learn what would happen in this scenario.
Who serves in Congress if election results are unknown by January 2021?
According to the Twentieth Amendment to the Constitution, the terms of U.S. senators and representatives end at noon on January 3 following the general election in which their seats are up. However, there have been several historical cases in which the outcome of a congressional election was not resolved until after the new Congress was sworn in. Who will serve in Congress if a race remains contested past January 3, 2021? Click here to learn the answer.
What happens if the winning presidential candidate becomes incapacitated before taking office?
Inauguration Day is January 20, 2021. What happens if the president-elect dies or becomes incapacitated before being sworn in? Who becomes president? Click here to learn the answer.
Who serves in a state or local government if election results are unknown?
For some state and local offices, the term of office begins immediately after the general election. Challenges to election results could prevent a winner from being determined in time to assume office on the standard date. Who would serve in the office under these circumstances? Click here to find out.
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