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 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.

+ Governors of the Territory of IndianaGovernorTerm in officeAppointed by1William Henry HarrisonMay 13, 1800–December 28, 18122Thomas PoseyMarch 3, 1813–November 7, 1816

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.1816 Const. art. IV, § 3 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.IN Const. art. V, § 1 Governors were allowed to serve for four years in any eight-year period, but a 1972 amendment permitted governors to serve for eight years in any twelve-year period.McLauchlan p. 94 Should the office of governor become vacant, the lieutenant governor becomes governor.IN Const. art. V, § 10 If the office of lieutenant governor is vacant, the president pro tempore of the Indiana Senate becomes governor; this has happened once, when James B. Ray succeeded William Hendricks.Woollen, p. 56

+ Governors of the State of IndianaGovernorTerm in officePartyElectionLt. Governor1 Jonathan JenningsNovember 7, 1816Indiana General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1816 sess., 10, accessed August 18, 2023–September 12, 1822Democratic-Republican1816 Vacant18192Ratliff BoonSeptember 12, 1822–December 4, 1822Democratic-RepublicanVacant3William HendricksDecember 4, 1822Indiana General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1822 sess., 26, accessed August 18, 2023–February 12, 1825Democratic-Republican1822Vacant4James B. RayFebruary 12, 1825–December 7, 1831Democratic-Republican182518285Noah NobleDecember 7, 1831Indiana General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1831 sess., 32, accessed August 19, 2023–December 6, 1837NationalRepublican1831Whig18346David WallaceDecember 6, 1837Indiana General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1837 sess., 30, accessed August 19, 2023–December 9, 1840Whig18377Samuel BiggerDecember 9, 1840Indiana General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1840 sess., 35, accessed August 19, 2023–December 6, 1843Whig18408James WhitcombDecember 6, 1843Indiana General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1843 sess., 33, accessed August 19, 2023–December 27, 1848Democratic1843Vacant18469Paris C. DunningDecember 27, 1848Indiana General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1848 sess., 202, accessed August 19, 2023–December 5, 1849DemocraticVacant10Joseph A. WrightDecember 5, 1849Indiana General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1849 sess., 42, accessed August 19, 2023–January 12, 1857Democratic1849185211Ashbel P. WillardJanuary 12, 1857Indiana General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1857 sess., 60, accessed August 19, 2023–October 4, 1860Democratic185612Abram A. HammondOctober 4, 1860–January 14, 1861DemocraticVacant13Henry S. LaneJanuary 14, 1861Indiana General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1861 sess., 60, accessed August 19, 2023–January 16, 1861Republican186014Oliver P. MortonJanuary 16, 1861Indiana General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1861 sess., 94, accessed August 19, 2023–January 24, 1867RepublicanVacantUnion186415Conrad BakerJanuary 24, 1867Indiana General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1867 sess., 197, accessed August 19, 2023–January 13, 1873UnionVacantRepublican1868Vacant16Thomas A. HendricksJanuary 13, 1873Indiana General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1873 sess., 77, accessed August 19, 2023–January 8, 1877Democratic187217James D. WilliamsJanuary 8, 1877Indiana General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1877 sess., 66, accessed August 19, 2023–November 20, 1880Democratic187618Isaac P. GrayNovember 20, 1880–January 10, 1881DemocraticVacant19Albert G. PorterJanuary 10, 1881Indiana General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1881 sess., 79, accessed August 19, 2023–January 12, 1885Republican188020Isaac P. GrayJanuary 12, 1885Indiana General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1885 sess., 60, accessed August 19, 2023–January 14, 1889Democratic1884Vacant21Alvin Peterson HoveyJanuary 14, 1889Indiana General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1889 sess., 62, accessed August 19, 2023–November 23, 1891Republican188822Ira Joy ChaseNovember 23, 1891–January 9, 1893RepublicanVacant23Claude MatthewsJanuary 9, 1893Indiana General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1893 sess., 50, accessed August 19, 2023–January 11, 1897Democratic189224James A. MountJanuary 11, 1897Indiana General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1897 sess., 63, accessed August 19, 2023–January 14, 1901Republican189625Winfield T. DurbinJanuary 14, 1901Indiana General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1901 sess., 72, accessed August 19, 2023–January 9, 1905Republican190026Frank HanlyJanuary 9, 1905Indiana General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1905 sess., 103, accessed August 19, 2023–January 11, 1909Republican190427Thomas R. MarshallJanuary 11, 1909Indiana General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1909 sess., 79, accessed August 19, 2023–January 13, 1913Democratic190828Samuel M. RalstonJanuary 13, 1913Indiana General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1913 sess., 69, accessed August 19, 2023–January 8, 1917Democratic191229James P. GoodrichJanuary 8, 1917Indiana General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1917 sess., 51, accessed August 19, 2023–January 10, 1921Republican191630Warren T. McCrayJanuary 10, 1921Indiana General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1921 sess., 149, accessed August 19, 2023–April 30, 1924Republican192031Emmett Forest BranchApril 30, 1924–January 12, 1925RepublicanVacant32Edward L. JacksonJanuary 12, 1925Indiana General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1925 sess., 26, accessed August 19, 2023–January 14, 1929Republican192433Harry G. LeslieJanuary 14, 1929Indiana General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1929 sess., 13, accessed August 19, 2023–January 9, 1933Republican192834Paul V. McNuttJanuary 9, 1933Indiana General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1933 sess., 88, accessed August 19, 2023–January 11, 1937Democratic193235M. Clifford TownsendJanuary 11, 1937Indiana General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1937 sess., 76, accessed August 19, 2023–January 13, 1941Democratic193636Henry F. SchrickerJanuary 13, 1941Indiana General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1941 sess., 97, accessed August 19, 2023–January 8, 1945Democratic194037Ralph F. GatesJanuary 8, 1945–January 10, 1949Republican1944VacantVacant38Henry F. SchrickerJanuary 10, 1949Indiana General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1949 sess., 54, accessed August 19, 2023–January 12, 1953Democratic194839George N. CraigJanuary 12, 1953Indiana General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1953 sess., 44, accessed August 19, 2023–January 14, 1957Republican195240Harold W. HandleyJanuary 14, 1957Indiana General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1957 sess., 47, accessed August 19, 2023–January 9, 1961Republican195641Matthew E. WelshJanuary 9, 1961Indiana General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1961 sess., 55, accessed August 19, 2023–January 11, 1965Democratic196042Roger D. BraniginJanuary 11, 1965Indiana General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1965 sess., 50, accessed August 19, 2023–January 13, 1969Democratic196443Edgar WhitcombJanuary 13, 1969Indiana General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1969 sess., 89, accessed August 19, 2023–January 8, 1973Republican196844Otis BowenJanuary 8, 1973–January 12, 1981Republican1972197645Robert D. OrrJanuary 12, 1981–January 9, 1989Republican1980198446Evan BayhJanuary 9, 1989–January 13, 1997Democratic1988199247Frank O'BannonJanuary 13, 1997–September 13, 2003Democratic1996200048Joe KernanSeptember 13, 2003–January 10, 2005DemocraticVacant49Mitch DanielsJanuary 10, 2005–January 14, 2013Republican2004200850Mike PenceJanuary 14, 2013–January 9, 2017Republican2012Vacant51Eric HolcombJanuary 9, 2017–January 13, 2025Republican2016202052 Mike BraunJanuary 13, 2025–IncumbentRepublican2024

See also

List of Indiana General Assemblies

Notes

References

General

Constitutions

Specific

External links Office of the Governor of Indiana