<P> The words president elect appear four times in the Constitution , and they did n't appear until 1933 , when the Twentieth Amendment , which contained a provision addressing the unavailability of the president elect to take the oath of office on Inauguration Day , was ratified . Section 3 provides that if there is no president - elect on January 20 , or the president - elect `` fails to qualify '' , the vice president - elect would become acting president on January 20 until there is a qualified president . The section also provides that if the president - elect dies before noon on January 20 , the vice president - elect becomes president . In cases where there is no president - elect or vice president - elect , the amendment also gives the Congress the authority to declare an acting president until such time as there is a president or vice president . At this point the Presidential Succession Act of 1947 would apply , with the office of the Presidency going to the speaker of the House of Representatives , followed by the president pro tempore of the Senate and various Cabinet officers . </P>
<P> The words president elect appear four times in the Constitution , and they did n't appear until 1933 , when the Twentieth Amendment , which contained a provision addressing the unavailability of the president elect to take the oath of office on Inauguration Day , was ratified . Section 3 provides that if there is no president - elect on January 20 , or the president - elect `` fails to qualify '' , the vice president - elect would become acting president on January 20 until there is a qualified president . The section also provides that if the president - elect dies before noon on January 20 , the vice president - elect becomes president . In cases where there is no president - elect or vice president - elect , the amendment also gives the Congress the authority to declare an acting president until such time as there is a president or vice president . At this point the Presidential Succession Act of 1947 would apply , with the office of the Presidency going to the speaker of the House of Representatives , followed by the president pro tempore of the Senate and various Cabinet officers . </P>
who becomes president if the president elect dies before taking office
who becomes president if the president elect dies before taking office
vice president - elect becomes president
vice president - elect becomes president