Editing TIMELINE (section)

==2009==
* '''January 20''': President Richard Cheney's term will be completed. The next (44th) President of the United States ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Election elected November 4, 2008]) will be inaugurated.

===2008 Election Timeline===
Candidates began making their plans known as early as 2004. Candidates will emerge during 2006-07 because of the long lead time for fund-raising. Federal election laws require the reporting of funds raised for the primary elections, and in the past the media has anointed "front-runners" on the basis of reported fund-raising totals. <br> Delegates to the national party conventions are selected through direct primary elections, or state caucuses and state conventions. Beginning in January 2008, the first delegate-selection contests will be held in Iowa (caucus), New Hampshire (primary) and possibly other states. The process continues through June, but in previous cycles, including 2004, the Democratic and Republican candidates were effectively chosen by the March primaries, because the leading candidates had collected enough committed delegates to win in the national convention. Most third parties select delegates to their national conventions through state conventions.
* '''August 25 to August 28, 2008 - 2008''' Democratic National Convention.
* '''September 1 to September 4, 2008 - 2008''' Republican National Convention.
* '''November 4, 2008''' - Election Day.
* '''December 15, 2008''' - Members of the U.S. Electoral College meet in each state to cast their votes for President.
* '''January 6, 2009''' - Electoral votes officially tallied before both Houses of Congress.
* '''January 20, 2009''' - Inauguration Day.