Chief Justice John Marshall administers the first executive oath of office in the new federal city in Washington, D.C. The ceremony is held in the new Senate Chamber (now the Old Supreme Court Chamber) of the partially built Capitol building. Because Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr each received 73 electoral votes, the outcome of the election of 1800 had been in doubt until late February. After 30 hours of debate and balloting in the House of Representatives, Jefferson emerges as the president and Burr, the vice president. President John Adams, who lost his bid for a second term, leaves Washington on the day of the inauguration without attending the ceremony. Jefferson begins the custom of writing to Congress to accept the inauguration and arrange the time for the ceremonies.