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Theoretically, yes. Notaries have the authority to administer oaths within their state of commission. Since the president is always sworn in at the White House, only a Notary Public of the District of Colombia could swear him in.

The presidential oath has only been administered once by a notary, for Chester Arthur, by his father who was a notary public. However, there was some debate as to whether or not a state notary had the authority to swear in a federal official, and so the oath was readministered by the chief justice upon Chester Arthur's return to Washington.

So the issue has never been really established, but in theory, since a notary has authority to administer oaths within his or her state for any purpose, the president could be sworn in by a notary.

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15y ago

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Q: Can a notary public swear in a president?
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