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.
While a territory, Indiana had two governors appointed by the president of the United States. Since statehood in 1816, it has had 49 governors, serving 51 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 Eric Holcomb, who took office on January 9, 2017.
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.
No. | Governor | Term in office [lower-alpha 1] | Appointed by | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | William Henry Harrison [lower-alpha 2] (1773–1841) [2] | May 13, 1800 [lower-alpha 3] – December 28, 1812 (successor appointed) | John Adams | |
Thomas Jefferson | ||||
James Madison | ||||
2 | Thomas Posey (1750–1818) [9] | March 3, 1813 [lower-alpha 4] – November 7, 1816 (lost election) | James Madison |
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]
No. [lower-alpha 5] | Governor | Term in office | Party | Election | Lt. Governor [lower-alpha 6] | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Jonathan Jennings (1784–1834) [18] [19] | November 7, 1816 [20] – September 12, 1822 (resigned) [lower-alpha 7] | Democratic- Republican [21] | 1816 | Christopher Harrison (resigned December 18, 1818) [lower-alpha 8] | |||
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) [lower-alpha 9] | 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) [lower-alpha 10] | Democratic- Republican [lower-alpha 11] | Succeeded from president of the Senate [lower-alpha 12] | ||||
1825 | John H. Thompson [lower-alpha 13] | |||||||
1828 | Milton Stapp | |||||||
5 | Noah Noble (1794–1844) [32] [33] | December 7, 1831 [34] – December 6, 1837 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 10] | 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) [lower-alpha 14] | 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) [lower-alpha 15] | Democratic [54] | 1849 | Jim Lane | |||
1852 [lower-alpha 16] | 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) [lower-alpha 17] | Republican [65] | 1860 | Oliver P. Morton | |||
14 | Oliver P. Morton (1823–1877) [66] [67] | January 16, 1861 [68] – January 24, 1867 (resigned) [lower-alpha 18] | Republican [21] | Succeeded from lieutenant governor | Vacant | |||
Union [69] | 1864 | Conrad Baker [lower-alpha 19] | ||||||
15 | Conrad Baker (1817–1885) [71] [72] | January 24, 1867 [73] – January 13, 1873 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 15] | Republican [21] | Succeeded from lieutenant governor | Vacant | |||
1868 | William Cumback (resigned January 11, 1871) | |||||||
Vacant | ||||||||
16 | Thomas A. Hendricks (1819–1885) [74] [75] | January 13, 1873 [76] – January 8, 1877 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 15] | Democratic [21] | 1872 | Leonidas Sexton [lower-alpha 20] | |||
17 | James D. Williams (1808–1880) [77] [78] | January 8, 1877 [79] – November 20, 1880 (died in office) | Democratic [21] | 1876 | Isaac P. Gray | |||
18 | Isaac P. Gray (1828–1895) [80] [81] | November 20, 1880 [82] – January 10, 1881 (successor took office) | Democratic [21] | Succeeded from lieutenant governor | Vacant | |||
19 | Albert G. Porter (1824–1897) [83] [84] | January 10, 1881 [85] – January 12, 1885 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 15] | Republican [21] | 1880 | Thomas Hanna | |||
20 | Isaac P. Gray (1828–1895) [80] [81] | January 12, 1885 [86] – January 14, 1889 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 15] | Democratic [21] | 1884 | Mahlon Dickerson Manson (resigned July 1886) | |||
Vacant | ||||||||
21 | Alvin Peterson Hovey (1821–1891) [87] [88] | January 14, 1889 [89] – November 23, 1891 (died in office) | Republican [21] | 1888 | Ira Joy Chase | |||
22 | Ira Joy Chase (1834–1895) [90] [91] | November 23, 1891 [92] – January 9, 1893 (lost election) | Republican [21] | Succeeded from lieutenant governor | Vacant | |||
23 | Claude Matthews (1845–1898) [93] [94] | January 9, 1893 [95] – January 11, 1897 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 15] | Democratic [21] | 1892 | Mortimer Nye | |||
24 | James A. Mount (1843–1901) [96] [97] | January 11, 1897 [98] – January 14, 1901 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 15] | Republican [21] | 1896 | William S. Haggard | |||
25 | Winfield T. Durbin (1847–1928) [99] [100] | January 14, 1901 [101] – January 9, 1905 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 15] | Republican [21] | 1900 | Newton W. Gilbert | |||
26 | Frank Hanly (1863–1920) [102] [103] | January 9, 1905 [104] – January 11, 1909 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 15] | Republican [21] | 1904 | Hugh Thomas Miller | |||
27 | Thomas R. Marshall (1854–1925) [105] [106] | January 11, 1909 [107] – January 13, 1913 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 15] | Democratic [21] | 1908 | Frank J. Hall | |||
28 | Samuel M. Ralston (1857–1925) [108] [109] | January 13, 1913 [110] – January 8, 1917 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 15] | Democratic [21] | 1912 | William P. O'Neill | |||
29 | James P. Goodrich (1864–1940) [111] [112] | January 8, 1917 [113] – January 10, 1921 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 15] | Republican [21] | 1916 | Edgar D. Bush | |||
30 | Warren T. McCray (1865–1938) [114] [115] | January 10, 1921 [116] – April 30, 1924 (resigned) [lower-alpha 21] | Republican [21] | 1920 | Emmett Forest Branch | |||
31 | Emmett Forest Branch (1874–1932) [117] [118] | April 30, 1924 [119] – January 12, 1925 (did not run) | Republican [21] | Succeeded from lieutenant governor | Vacant | |||
32 | Edward L. Jackson (1873–1954) [120] [121] | January 12, 1925 [122] – January 14, 1929 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 15] | Republican [21] | 1924 | F. Harold Van Orman | |||
33 | Harry G. Leslie (1878–1937) [123] [124] | January 14, 1929 [125] – January 9, 1933 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 15] | Republican [21] | 1928 | Edgar D. Bush | |||
34 | Paul V. McNutt (1891–1955) [126] [127] | January 9, 1933 [128] – January 11, 1937 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 15] | Democratic [21] | 1932 | M. Clifford Townsend | |||
35 | M. Clifford Townsend (1884–1954) [129] [130] | January 11, 1937 [131] – January 13, 1941 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 15] | Democratic [21] | 1936 | Henry F. Schricker | |||
36 | Henry F. Schricker (1883–1966) [132] [133] | January 13, 1941 [134] – January 8, 1945 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 15] | Democratic [21] | 1940 | Charles M. Dawson | |||
37 | Ralph F. Gates (1893–1978) [135] [136] | January 8, 1945 [137] – January 10, 1949 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 15] | 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) [132] [133] | January 10, 1949 [138] – January 12, 1953 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 15] | Democratic [21] | 1948 | John A. Watkins | |||
39 | George N. Craig (1909–1992) [139] [140] | January 12, 1953 [141] – January 14, 1957 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 15] | Republican [21] | 1952 | Harold W. Handley | |||
40 | Harold W. Handley (1909–1972) [142] [143] | January 14, 1957 [144] – January 9, 1961 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 15] | Republican [21] | 1956 | Crawford F. Parker | |||
41 | Matthew E. Welsh (1912–1995) [145] [146] | January 9, 1961 [147] – January 11, 1965 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 15] | Democratic [21] | 1960 | Richard O. Ristine [lower-alpha 20] | |||
42 | Roger D. Branigin (1902–1975) [148] [149] | January 11, 1965 [150] – January 13, 1969 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 15] | Democratic [21] | 1964 | Robert L. Rock | |||
43 | Edgar Whitcomb (1917–2016) [151] [152] | January 13, 1969 [153] – January 8, 1973 (did not run) [lower-alpha 22] | Republican [21] | 1968 | Richard E. Folz | |||
44 | Otis Bowen (1918–2013) [154] [155] | January 8, 1973 [156] – January 12, 1981 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 23] | Republican [21] | 1972 | Robert D. Orr | |||
1976 | ||||||||
45 | Robert D. Orr (1917–2004) [158] | January 12, 1981 [159] – January 9, 1989 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 23] | Republican [158] | 1980 | John Mutz | |||
1984 | ||||||||
46 | Evan Bayh (b. 1955) [160] | January 9, 1989 [161] – January 13, 1997 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 23] | Democratic [160] | 1988 | Frank O'Bannon | |||
1992 | ||||||||
47 | Frank O'Bannon (1930–2003) [162] | January 13, 1997 [163] – September 13, 2003 (died in office) | Democratic [162] | 1996 | Joe Kernan | |||
2000 | ||||||||
48 | Joe Kernan (1946–2020) [164] | September 13, 2003 [165] – January 10, 2005 (lost election) | Democratic [164] | Succeeded from lieutenant governor | Vacant | |||
Kathy Davis (appointed October 20, 2003) | ||||||||
49 | Mitch Daniels (b. 1949) [166] | January 10, 2005 [167] – January 14, 2013 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 23] | Republican [166] | 2004 | Becky Skillman | |||
2008 | ||||||||
50 | Mike Pence (b. 1959) [168] | January 14, 2013 [169] – January 9, 2017 (withdrew) [lower-alpha 24] | Republican [168] | 2012 | Sue Ellspermann (resigned March 2, 2016) | |||
Vacant | ||||||||
Eric Holcomb (appointed March 3, 2016) | ||||||||
51 | Eric Holcomb (b. 1968) [171] | January 9, 2017 [172] – Incumbent [lower-alpha 25] | Republican [171] | 2016 | Suzanne Crouch | |||
2020 |
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The governor of Colorado is the head of government of the U.S. state of Colorado. The governor is the head of the executive branch of Colorado's state government and is charged with enforcing state laws. The governor has the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Colorado General Assembly, to convene the legislature, and to grant pardons, except in cases of treason or impeachment. The governor is also the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.
He will be succeeded in office by Lieutenant-Governor Gray...