List of governors of Indiana

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 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 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 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

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]

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

See also

• Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States § Indiana
• List of Indiana General Assemblies

Notes

1. 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. John Gibson served as acting governor during the absences of Governor William Henry Harrison.^[1][2]
3. 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. Posey was nominated on February 27, 1813,^[10] confirmed by the Senate on March 3,^[11] and took office on May 25.^[9]
5. The official site labels Eric Holcomb as the 51st governor;^[17] based on this, repeat non-consecutive terms are numbered.
6. Does not include acting lieutenant governors. All lieutenant governors represented the same party as their governor.
7. Jennings resigned, having been elected to the United States House of Representatives.^[19]
8. 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. Hendricks resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate.^[26]
10. Under the 1816 constitution, governors were not capable of holding the office longer than six years in any term of nine years.^[30]
11. Kallenbach labels Ray a Clay Republican,^[21] but Glashan^[31] and Sobel^[28] label him a Democratic-Republican.
12. As the office of lieutenant governor was vacant, president pro tempore of the Senate Ray succeeded Hendricks.^[29]
13. Represented the Jacksonian faction
14. Whitcomb resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate.^[44]
15. Under the 1851 constitution, governors were ineligible to hold the office more than four years in any period of eight years.^[53]
16. First term under the 1851 constitution, which lengthened terms to four years.^[13]
17. Lane resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate.^[63]
18. Morton resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate.^[67]
19. Baker acted as governor from October 1865 to March 1866 while Morton sought treatment for a stroke and handed over executive powers.^[70]
20. Represented the Republican Party
21. 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. 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. 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. 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. Braun's term will expire on January 8, 2029.