▁the ▁state ▁legisl ature . ▁It ▁also ▁allows ▁state ▁legisl atures ▁to ▁permit ▁their ▁govern ors ▁to ▁make ▁temporary ▁appoint ments ▁until ▁a ▁special ▁election ▁can ▁be ▁held . ▁ ▁The ▁Tw enti eth ▁Am end ment ▁( 1 9 3 3 ) ▁changes ▁the ▁date ▁on ▁which ▁a ▁new ▁President , ▁Vice ▁President ▁and ▁Congress ▁take ▁office , ▁thus ▁short ening ▁the ▁time ▁between ▁E lection ▁Day ▁and ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁President ial , ▁Vice ▁President ial ▁and ▁Cong r essional ▁terms . ▁Origin ally , ▁the ▁Constitution ▁provided ▁that ▁the ▁annual ▁meeting ▁was ▁to ▁be ▁on ▁the ▁first ▁Monday ▁in ▁December ▁unless ▁otherwise ▁provided ▁by ▁law . ▁ ▁This ▁meant ▁that , ▁when ▁a ▁new ▁Congress ▁was ▁elected ▁in ▁November , ▁it ▁did ▁not ▁come ▁into ▁office ▁until ▁the ▁following ▁March , ▁with ▁a ▁" l ame ▁du ck " ▁Congress ▁conven ing ▁in ▁the ▁inter im . ▁ ▁By ▁moving ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁president ' s ▁new ▁term ▁from ▁March ▁ 4 ▁to ▁January ▁ 2 0 ▁( and ▁in ▁the ▁case ▁of ▁Congress , ▁to ▁January ▁ 3 ), ▁pro ponents ▁hoped ▁to ▁put ▁an ▁end ▁to ▁l ame ▁du ck ▁sessions , ▁while ▁allowing ▁for ▁a ▁speed ier ▁transition ▁for ▁the ▁new ▁administration ▁and ▁legisl ators . ▁ ▁The ▁Tw enty - second ▁Am end ment ▁( 1 9 5 1 ) ▁limits ▁an ▁elected ▁president ▁to ▁two ▁terms ▁in ▁office , ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁eight ▁years . ▁However , ▁under ▁some ▁circumstances ▁it ▁is ▁possible ▁for