Presidential transition of Barack Obama time of their election, President-elect Obama and Vice President-elect Joseph Biden were incumbent U.S. Senators from Illinois and Delaware respectively. In accordance with Article I, Section 6 of the United States Constitution, both were required to resign their respective Senate seats on or before January 20, 2009, in order to become President and Vice President. Obama resigned from the Senate effective November 16, 2008. Initially, it was thought that his replacement would be named by Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. Since the term for the seat expired in January 2011, it would come up for its normal election in 2010 with
Presidential transition of Barack Obama be included in the collection of the Presidential Library. Vice President Dick Cheney was injured moving out of his residence just before the inauguration and used a wheelchair during the ceremony. Presidential transition of Barack Obama The Presidential transition of Barack Obama began when Barack Obama won the United States presidential election on November 4, 2008, and became the President-elect. He was formally elected by the Electoral College on December 15, 2008. The results were certified by a joint session of Congress on January 8, 2009, and the transition ended when he was inaugurated at noon on January 20, 2009.