Elected Officials and the Terms They Serve -- School Me

Okay, I have very little interest in politics and as a result, I have very little knowledge of how the political system works. That being said, when I read that Sarah Palin is stepping down as governor since, and I'm paraphrasing, there is no point to her finishing her term, my reaction was, "HUH???" I mean, when you are elected, aren't you elected for the whole term and don't you promise to fulfill that commitment to your role when you are sworn into office? The article I read said that she or her spokesperson, I forget which, said that for her to finish out her term as a "lame duck" would be the same old "politics as usual" against which she campaigned last year.

Ummm, okay, it would be politics as usual but in a good way -- it would be someone doing what they promised they would. Instead her lieutenant governor will finish out her term which apparently is better for Alaska, at least in Palin's eyes. I don't understand how it's better for a new person to step in and play catch up when she already knows what is what and could do the job more efficiently with the knowledge base she has already built.

Am I way off base here? I don't want to think that I am a stupid person but I just don't understand her reasoning or motivation, assuming the article I read quoted her camp accurately. I have never heard of an elected official doing this unless they were running for another office. Maybe it happens all the time and I didn't realize b/c a.) I don't much care and b.) anything she does is considered big news. Color me perplexed.