List of governors of Indiana

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The governor of Indiana is the head of government of the U.S. state of Indiana. The governor is the head of the executive branch of Indiana's state government and is charged with enforcing state laws.

The Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis, which houses the office of the governor

While a territory, Indiana had two governors appointed by the president of the United States. Since statehood in 1816, it has had 50 governors, serving 52 distinct terms; Isaac P. Gray and Henry F. Schricker are the only governors to have served non-consecutive terms. Four governors have served two four-year terms; territorial governor William Henry Harrison served for 11 years. The shortest-serving governor is Henry S. Lane, who served two days before resigning to become a U.S. senator. The current governor is Mike Braun, who took office on January 13, 2025.

List of governors

Territory of Indiana

Indiana Territory was formed on July 4, 1800, from the Northwest Territory. Despite remaining a territory for nearly 16 years, it had only two governors appointed by the president of the United States before it became a state.

More information No., Governor ...
Governors of Indiana Territory
No. Governor Term in office[a] Appointed by
1 William Henry Harrison[b]
(1773–1841)
[2]		 May 13, 1800[c]
–
December 28, 1812
(successor appointed)		 John Adams
Thomas Jefferson
James Madison
2 Thomas Posey
(1750–1818)
[9]		 March 3, 1813[d]
–
November 7, 1816
(lost election)		 James Madison
Close

State of Indiana

Indiana was admitted to the Union on December 11, 1816.

The original 1816 Constitution of Indiana provided for the election of a governor and a lieutenant governor every three years, limited to six years out of any nine-year period.[12] The second and current constitution of 1851 lengthened terms to four years and set the commencement of the governor's term on the second Monday in the January following the election.[13] Governors were allowed to serve for four years in any eight-year period,[13] but a 1972 amendment permitted governors to serve for eight years in any twelve-year period.[14] Should the office of governor become vacant, the lieutenant governor becomes governor.[15] If the office of lieutenant governor is vacant, the president pro tempore of the Indiana Senate becomes governor;[15] this has happened once, when James B. Ray succeeded William Hendricks.[16]

More information No., Governor ...
Governors of the State of Indiana
No.[e] Governor Term in office Party Election Lt. Governor[f]
1   Jonathan Jennings
(1784–1834)
[18][19]		 November 7, 1816[20]
–
September 12, 1822
(resigned)[g]		 Democratic-
Republican[21]		 1816   Christopher Harrison
(resigned December 18, 1818)[h]
Vacant
1819 Ratliff Boon
2 Ratliff Boon
(1781–1844)
[23][24]		 September 12, 1822[21]
–
December 4, 1822
(successor took office)		 Democratic-
Republican[21]		 Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor		 Vacant
3 William Hendricks
(1782–1850)
[25][26]		 December 4, 1822[27]
–
February 12, 1825
(resigned)[i]		 Democratic-
Republican[21]		 1822 Ratliff Boon
(resigned January 30, 1824)
Vacant
4 James B. Ray
(1794–1848)
[28][29]		 February 12, 1825[21]
–
December 7, 1831
(term-limited)[j]		 Democratic-
Republican[k]		 Succeeded from
president of
the Senate[l]
1825 John H. Thompson[m]
1828 Milton Stapp
5 Noah Noble
(1794–1844)
[32][33]		 December 7, 1831[34]
–
December 6, 1837
(term-limited)[j]		 National
Republican[21]		 1831 David Wallace
Whig[21] 1834
6 David Wallace
(1799–1859)
[35][36]		 December 6, 1837[37]
–
December 9, 1840
(did not run)		 Whig[38] 1837 David Hillis
7 Samuel Bigger
(1802–1846)
[39][40]		 December 9, 1840[41]
–
December 6, 1843
(lost election)		 Whig[42] 1840 Samuel Hall
8 James Whitcomb
(1795–1852)
[43][44]		 December 6, 1843[45]
–
December 27, 1848
(resigned)[n]		 Democratic[46] 1843 Jesse D. Bright
(resigned December 8, 1845)
Vacant
1846 Paris C. Dunning
9 Paris C. Dunning
(1806–1884)
[47][48]		 December 27, 1848[49]
–
December 5, 1849
(did not run)		 Democratic[21] Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor		 Vacant
10 Joseph A. Wright
(1810–1867)
[50][51]		 December 5, 1849[52]
–
January 12, 1857
(term-limited)[o]		 Democratic[54] 1849 Jim Lane
1852[p] Ashbel P. Willard
11 Ashbel P. Willard
(1820–1860)
[55][56]		 January 12, 1857[57]
–
October 4, 1860
(died in office)		 Democratic[58] 1856 Abram A. Hammond
12 Abram A. Hammond
(1814–1874)
[59][60]		 October 4, 1860[61]
–
January 14, 1861
(successor took office)		 Democratic[21] Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor		 Vacant
13 Henry S. Lane
(1811–1881)
[62][63]		 January 14, 1861[64]
–
January 16, 1861
(resigned)[q]		 Republican[65] 1860 Oliver P. Morton
14 Oliver P. Morton
(1823–1877)
[66][67]		 January 16, 1861[68]
–
January 24, 1867
(resigned)[r]		 Republican[21] Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor		 Vacant
Union[69] 1864 Conrad Baker[s]
15 Conrad Baker
(1817–1885)
[71][72]		 January 24, 1867[73]
–
January 13, 1873
(term-limited)[o]		 Union[74] Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor		 Vacant
Republican[21] 1868 William Cumback
(resigned January 11, 1871)
Vacant
16 Thomas A. Hendricks
(1819–1885)
[75][76]		 January 13, 1873[77]
–
January 8, 1877
(term-limited)[o]		 Democratic[21] 1872 Leonidas Sexton[t]
17 James D. Williams
(1808–1880)
[78][79]		 January 8, 1877[80]
–
November 20, 1880
(died in office)		 Democratic[21] 1876 Isaac P. Gray
18 Isaac P. Gray
(1828–1895)
[81][82]		 November 20, 1880[83]
–
January 10, 1881
(successor took office)		 Democratic[21] Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor		 Vacant
19 Albert G. Porter
(1824–1897)
[84][85]		 January 10, 1881[86]
–
January 12, 1885
(term-limited)[o]		 Republican[21] 1880 Thomas Hanna
20 Isaac P. Gray
(1828–1895)
[81][82]		 January 12, 1885[87]
–
January 14, 1889
(term-limited)[o]		 Democratic[21] 1884 Mahlon Dickerson Manson
(resigned July 1886)
Vacant
21 Alvin Peterson Hovey
(1821–1891)
[88][89]		 January 14, 1889[90]
–
November 23, 1891
(died in office)		 Republican[21] 1888 Ira Joy Chase
22 Ira Joy Chase
(1834–1895)
[91][92]		 November 23, 1891[93]
–
January 9, 1893
(lost election)		 Republican[21] Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor		 Vacant
23 Claude Matthews
(1845–1898)
[94][95]		 January 9, 1893[96]
–
January 11, 1897
(term-limited)[o]		 Democratic[21] 1892 Mortimer Nye
24 James A. Mount
(1843–1901)
[97][98]		 January 11, 1897[99]
–
January 14, 1901
(term-limited)[o]		 Republican[21] 1896 William S. Haggard
25 Winfield T. Durbin
(1847–1928)
[100][101]		 January 14, 1901[102]
–
January 9, 1905
(term-limited)[o]		 Republican[21] 1900 Newton W. Gilbert
26 Frank Hanly
(1863–1920)
[103][104]		 January 9, 1905[105]
–
January 11, 1909
(term-limited)[o]		 Republican[21] 1904 Hugh Thomas Miller
27 Thomas R. Marshall
(1854–1925)
[106][107]		 January 11, 1909[108]
–
January 13, 1913
(term-limited)[o]		 Democratic[21] 1908 Frank J. Hall
28 Samuel M. Ralston
(1857–1925)
[109][110]		 January 13, 1913[111]
–
January 8, 1917
(term-limited)[o]		 Democratic[21] 1912 William P. O'Neill
29 James P. Goodrich
(1864–1940)
[112][113]		 January 8, 1917[114]
–
January 10, 1921
(term-limited)[o]		 Republican[21] 1916 Edgar D. Bush
30 Warren T. McCray
(1865–1938)
[115][116]		 January 10, 1921[117]
–
April 30, 1924
(resigned)[u]		 Republican[21] 1920 Emmett Forest Branch
31 Emmett Forest Branch
(1874–1932)
[118][119]		 April 30, 1924[120]
–
January 12, 1925
(did not run)		 Republican[21] Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor		 Vacant
32 Edward L. Jackson
(1873–1954)
[121][122]		 January 12, 1925[123]
–
January 14, 1929
(term-limited)[o]		 Republican[21] 1924 F. Harold Van Orman
33 Harry G. Leslie
(1878–1937)
[124][125]		 January 14, 1929[126]
–
January 9, 1933
(term-limited)[o]		 Republican[21] 1928 Edgar D. Bush
34 Paul V. McNutt
(1891–1955)
[127][128]		 January 9, 1933[129]
–
January 11, 1937
(term-limited)[o]		 Democratic[21] 1932 M. Clifford Townsend
35 M. Clifford Townsend
(1884–1954)
[130][131]		 January 11, 1937[132]
–
January 13, 1941
(term-limited)[o]		 Democratic[21] 1936 Henry F. Schricker
36 Henry F. Schricker
(1883–1966)
[133][134]		 January 13, 1941[135]
–
January 8, 1945
(term-limited)[o]		 Democratic[21] 1940 Charles M. Dawson
37 Ralph F. Gates
(1893–1978)
[136][137]		 January 8, 1945[138]
–
January 10, 1949
(term-limited)[o]		 Republican[21] 1944 Richard T. James
(resigned April 1, 1948)
Vacant
Rue J. Alexander
(appointed April 14, 1948)
(died January 2, 1949)
Vacant
38 Henry F. Schricker
(1883–1966)
[133][134]		 January 10, 1949[139]
–
January 12, 1953
(term-limited)[o]		 Democratic[21] 1948 John A. Watkins
39 George N. Craig
(1909–1992)
[140][141]		 January 12, 1953[142]
–
January 14, 1957
(term-limited)[o]		 Republican[21] 1952 Harold W. Handley
40 Harold W. Handley
(1909–1972)
[143][144]		 January 14, 1957[145]
–
January 9, 1961
(term-limited)[o]		 Republican[21] 1956 Crawford F. Parker
41 Matthew E. Welsh
(1912–1995)
[146][147]		 January 9, 1961[148]
–
January 11, 1965
(term-limited)[o]		 Democratic[21] 1960 Richard O. Ristine[t]
42 Roger D. Branigin
(1902–1975)
[149][150]		 January 11, 1965[151]
–
January 13, 1969
(term-limited)[o]		 Democratic[21] 1964 Robert L. Rock
43 Edgar Whitcomb
(1917–2016)
[152][153]		 January 13, 1969[154]
–
January 8, 1973
(did not run)[v]		 Republican[21] 1968 Richard E. Folz
44 Otis Bowen
(1918–2013)
[155][156]		 January 8, 1973[157]
–
January 12, 1981
(term-limited)[w]		 Republican[21] 1972 Robert D. Orr
1976
45 Robert D. Orr
(1917–2004)
[159]		 January 12, 1981[160]
–
January 9, 1989
(term-limited)[w]		 Republican[159] 1980 John Mutz
1984
46 Evan Bayh
(b. 1955)
[161]		 January 9, 1989[162]
–
January 13, 1997
(term-limited)[w]		 Democratic[161] 1988 Frank O'Bannon
1992
47 Frank O'Bannon
(1930–2003)
[163]		 January 13, 1997[164]
–
September 13, 2003
(died in office)		 Democratic[163] 1996 Joe Kernan
2000
48 Joe Kernan
(1946–2020)
[165]		 September 13, 2003[166]
–
January 10, 2005
(lost election)		 Democratic[165] Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor		 Vacant
Kathy Davis
(appointed October 20, 2003)
49 Mitch Daniels
(b. 1949)
[167]		 January 10, 2005[168]
–
January 14, 2013
(term-limited)[w]		 Republican[167] 2004 Becky Skillman
2008
50 Mike Pence
(b. 1959)
[169]		 January 14, 2013[170]
–
January 9, 2017
(withdrew)[x]		 Republican[169] 2012 Sue Ellspermann
(resigned March 2, 2016)
Vacant
Eric Holcomb
(appointed March 3, 2016)
51 Eric Holcomb
(b. 1968)
[172]		 January 9, 2017[173]
–
January 13, 2025
(term-limited)[w]		 Republican[172] 2016 Suzanne Crouch
2020
52 Mike Braun
(b. 1954)
[174]		 January 13, 2025
–
Incumbent[y]		 Republican[174] 2024 Micah Beckwith
Close

See also

Notes

  1. [a]
    The range given is from the date the governor was confirmed by the Senate, or appointed by the President during a Senate recess, to the date the governor left office.
  2. [b]
    John Gibson served as acting governor during the absences of Governor William Henry Harrison.[1][2]
  3. [c]
    Harrison was nominated on May 12, 1800,[3] confirmed on May 13,[4] and took office on July 4.[5] He was reconfirmed by the Senate on February 8, 1803;[6] recommissioned by the President for an interim term on May 5, 1806;[5] reconfirmed by the Senate on December 17, 1806;[7] and again on December 20, 1809.[8]
  4. [d]
    Posey was nominated on February 27, 1813,[10] confirmed by the Senate on March 3,[11] and took office on May 25.[9]
  5. [e]
    The official site labels Eric Holcomb as the 51st governor;[17] based on this, repeat non-consecutive terms are numbered.
  6. [f]
    Does not include acting lieutenant governors. All lieutenant governors represented the same party as their governor.
  7. [g]
    Jennings resigned, having been elected to the United States House of Representatives.[19]
  8. [h]
    Jennings was appointed a United States commissioner to conclude a treaty with native tribes on April 15, 1818; after this time, Harrison was acting as governor. However, by accepting the post, Harrison believed Jennings had vacated the seat, and thus felt he had succeeded Jennings to the governorship. The state legislature declined to confirm this, and Harrison resigned on December 18, 1818.[22]
  9. [i]
    Hendricks resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate.[26]
  10. [j]
    Under the 1816 constitution, governors were not capable of holding the office longer than six years in any term of nine years.[30]
  11. [k]
    Kallenbach labels Ray a Clay Republican,[21] but Glashan[31] and Sobel[28] label him a Democratic-Republican.
  12. [l]
    As the office of lieutenant governor was vacant, president pro tempore of the Senate Ray succeeded Hendricks.[29]
  13. [m]
    Represented the Jacksonian faction
  14. [n]
    Whitcomb resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate.[44]
  15. [o]
    Under the 1851 constitution, governors were ineligible to hold the office more than four years in any period of eight years.[53]
  16. [p]
    First term under the 1851 constitution, which lengthened terms to four years.[13]
  17. [q]
    Lane resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate.[63]
  18. [r]
    Morton resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate.[67]
  19. [s]
    Baker acted as governor from October 1865 to March 1866 while Morton sought treatment for a stroke and handed over executive powers.[70]
  20. [t]
    Represented the Republican Party
  21. [u]
    McCray resigned following his conviction for mail fraud, and served three years in prison; he was pardoned by President Herbert Hoover in 1930.[116]
  22. [v]
    It is unknown if the 1972 constitutional amendment allowing for a second term would have impacted Whitcomb; either way, he did not run in the 1972 election.
  23. [w]
    Under a 1972 amendment to the constitution, governors were ineligible to hold the office more than eight years in any period of twelve years.[158]
  24. [x]
    Pence won the Republican nomination, but withdrew on July 15, 2016, when Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump selected Pence as his vice presidential running mate. As Pence was barred by Indiana law from simultaneously running for both offices, he subsequently withdrew from the gubernatorial election.[171]
  25. [y]
    Braun's term will expire on January 8, 2029.

References

External links

Related Articles

Wikiwand AI