The Governor of Indiana

Governor of Indiana

The Governor of Indiana is the chief executive of the state of Indiana. The governor is elected to a four-year term, and responsible for overseeing the day-to-day management of the functions of many agencies of the Indiana state government. The governor also shares power with other statewide...

 is the head of the executive branch of Indiana

Indiana

Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...

's government and the commander-in-chief of the state's

U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

 military forces

Indiana National Guard

The Indiana National Guard is the armed force of the state of Indiana. It consists of the Indiana Army National Guard and the Indiana Air National Guard, and is part of the larger Army National Guard and the Air National Guard...

. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Indiana General Assembly

Indiana General Assembly

The Indiana General Assembly is the state legislature, or legislative branch, of the state of Indiana. It is a bicameral legislature that consists of a lower house, the Indiana House of Representatives, and an upper house, the Indiana Senate...

, to convene that body, and to grant pardons, except in cases of treason or impeachment.

While a territory, Indiana had two President-appointed governors. Since statehood in 1816, it has had 47 governors, serving 49 distinct terms; Isaac P. Gray

Isaac P. Gray

Isaac Pusey Gray was the 18th and 20th Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana from 1880 to 1881 and from 1885 to 1889. Originally a Republican, he oversaw the forceful passage of the post-American Civil War constitutional amendments whilst he was a member of the Indiana Senate...

 and Henry F. Schricker

Henry F. Schricker

Henry Frederick Schricker was the 36th and 38th Governor of the American state of Indiana from 1941 to 1945 and from 1949 to 1953. He is the only Indiana governor elected to two non-consecutive terms, and the only governor between 1852 and 1977 to be elected to more than one term in office...

 are the only governors to have served non-consecutive terms. The longest-serving state governors are Otis R. Bowen

Otis R. Bowen

Otis Ray Bowen, M.D. is a retired U.S. politician and physician. He served as the 44th Governor of Indiana from 1973 to 1981 and as Secretary of Health and Human Services from 1985 to 1989.-Early life:...

 and Evan Bayh

Evan Bayh

Birch Evans "Evan" Bayh III is a lawyer, advisor and former Democratic politician who served as the junior U.S. Senator from Indiana from 1999 to 2011. He earlier served as the 46th Governor of Indiana from 1989 to 1997. Bayh is a current Fox News contributor as of March 14, 2011.Bayh first held...

 at 8 years, 4 days; territorial governor William Henry Harrison

William Henry Harrison

William Henry Harrison was the ninth President of the United States , an American military officer and politician, and the first president to die in office. He was 68 years, 23 days old when elected, the oldest president elected until Ronald Reagan in 1980, and last President to be born before the...

 served for over 12 years. The shortest-serving governor is Henry Smith Lane

Henry Smith Lane

Henry Smith Lane was a United States Representative, Senator, and the 13th Governor of Indiana; he was by design the shortest-serving Governor of Indiana, having made plans to resign the office should his party take control of the Indiana General Assembly and elect him to the United States Senate...

, who served two days before resigning to become a U.S. Senator. The current governor is Mitch Daniels

Mitch Daniels

Mitchell Elias "Mitch" Daniels, Jr. is the 49th and current Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana. A Republican, he began his first four-year term as governor on January 10, 2005, and was elected to his second term by an 18-point margin on November 4, 2008. Previously, he was the Director of the...

, who took office on January 10, 2005, and was reelected in 2008

Indiana gubernatorial election, 2008

The Indiana gubernatorial election of 2008 was held on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Republican nominee Mitch Daniels was challenged by Democratic nominee Jill Long Thompson and Libertarian nominee Andy Horning...

 to serve until January 14, 2013.

Governors

The land that became Indiana was acquired by the United States after the American Revolutionary War

American Revolutionary War

The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...

. The region was originally organized as the Northwest Territory

Northwest Territory

The Territory Northwest of the River Ohio, more commonly known as the Northwest Territory, was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 13, 1787, until March 1, 1803, when the southeastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Ohio...

, consisting of all of the land in the United States north and west of the Ohio River. The Indiana Territory

Indiana Territory

The Territory of Indiana was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 4, 1800, until November 7, 1816, when the southern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Indiana....

 was split from the Northwest Territory in 1800.

For the period before the Indiana Territory was formed, see the list of Governors of Northwest Territory.

Governors of the Indiana Territory

Indiana Territory

Indiana Territory

The Territory of Indiana was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 4, 1800, until November 7, 1816, when the southern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Indiana....

 was formed on July 4, 1800, and consisted of present-day Indiana, Illinois

Illinois

Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...

, Wisconsin

Wisconsin

Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...

, and parts of Michigan

Michigan

Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....

 and Minnesota

Minnesota

Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...

. Michigan Territory

Michigan Territory

The Territory of Michigan was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from June 30, 1805, until January 26, 1837, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Michigan...

 was split from the territory on June 30, 1805, and Illinois Territory

Illinois Territory

The Territory of Illinois was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 1, 1809, until December 3, 1818, when the southern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Illinois. The area was earlier known as "Illinois Country" while under...

 followed on March 1, 1809, leaving Indiana Territory with its final borders. From October 1, 1804, to July 4, 1805, the District of Louisiana

District of Louisiana

The District of Louisiana, or Louisiana District, was an official, temporary, United States government designation for the portion of the Louisiana Purchase that had not been organized into the Orleans Territory. It officially existed from March 10, 1804 until July 4, 1805, when it was incorporated...

 was under the jurisdiction of Indiana Territory.

#	Governor	Took office	Left office	Days in office	Appointed by
1	William Henry Harrison William Henry Harrison William Henry Harrison was the ninth President of the United States , an American military officer and politician, and the first president to die in office. He was 68 years, 23 days old when elected, the oldest president elected until Ronald Reagan in 1980, and last President to be born before the...	May 13, 1800	December 28, 1812	4612	John Adams John Adams John Adams was an American lawyer, statesman, diplomat and political theorist. A leading champion of independence in 1776, he was the second President of the United States...
					Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
					James Madison James Madison James Madison, Jr. was an American statesman and political theorist. He was the fourth President of the United States and is hailed as the “Father of the Constitution” for being the primary author of the United States Constitution and at first an opponent of, and then a key author of the United...
—	John Gibson John Gibson (Indiana) John Gibson was a veteran of the French and Indian War, Lord Dunmore's War, the American Revolutionary War, Tecumseh's War, and the War of 1812. A delegate to the first Pennsylvania constitutional convention in 1790, and a merchant, he earned a reputation as a frontier leader and had good...	December 28, 1812	March 3, 1813	65	acting
2	Thomas Posey Thomas Posey Thomas Posey was an officer in the American Revolution, a general during peacetime, the third Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky, Governor of the Indiana Territory, and a Louisiana Senator.-Family and background:...	March 3, 1813	November 7, 1816	1345	James Madison

Governors of the state of Indiana

Indiana was admitted to the Union on December 11, 1816. The original 1816 Constitution of Indiana

Constitution of Indiana

There have been two Constitutions of the State of Indiana. The first constitution was created when the Territory of Indiana sent forty-three delegates to a constitutional convention on June 10, 1816 to establish a constitution for the proposed State of Indiana after the United States Congress had...

 provided for the election of a governor and a lieutenant governor every three years. 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. Governors were allowed to serve for four years in any eight-year period, but this was extended by a 1972 amendment permitting governors to serve for eight years in any twelve-year period. Should the office of governor become vacant, the lieutenant governor becomes governor. Nine lieutenant governors have succeeded to the governorship. If the office of lieutenant governor is vacant, the president pro tempore of the Indiana Senate

Indiana Senate

The Indiana Senate is the upper house of the Indiana General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Indiana. The Senate is composed of 50 members representing an equal number of constituent districts. Senators serve four-year terms without term limits...

 becomes governor; this has happened once, when James B. Ray

James B. Ray

James Brown Ray was an Indiana politician and the only Senate President-Pro-Tempore to succeed to become Governor of the State of Indiana. He served during the period when the state transitioned from personal politics to political parties, but never joined a party himself. Elevated at age 31, he...

 succeeded William Hendricks

William Hendricks

William Hendricks was a Democratic-Republican member of the House of Representatives from 1816 to 1822, the third Governor of Indiana from 1822 to 1825, and an Anti-Jacksonian member of the U.S. Senate from 1825 to 1837. He led much of his family into politics and founded one of the largest...

.

#	Governor		Took office	Left office	Party	Lt. Governor Lieutenant Governor of Indiana The Lieutenant Governor of Indiana is a constitutional office in the US State of Indiana. Republican Becky Skillman, whose term expires in January 2013, is the incumbent... Does not include acting lieutenant governors. All lieutenant governors represented the same party as their governor.	TermsThe fractional terms of some governors are not to be understood absolutely literally; rather, they are meant to show single terms during which multiple governors served due to resignations and deaths. Note that before 1851 the gubernatorial term was three years, and it was four years after 1851.
1		Jonathan Jennings Jonathan Jennings Jonathan Jennings was the first Governor of Indiana and a nine-term congressman from Indiana. Born in Readington, New Jersey, he studied law with his brother before immigrating to Indiana in 1806 where he took part in land speculation...	November 7, 1816	September 12, 1822	Democratic- Republican	Christopher Harrison Christopher Harrison Christopher Harrison was the first Lieutenant Governor of Indiana, serving with Governor Jonathan Jennings. Harrison was briefly acting governor while Jennings' was conducting negotiation with the native tribes in northern Indiana, and later resigned from office over a dispute with Jennings...
						Ratliff Boon Ratliff Boon Ratliff Boon was the second Governor of Indiana from September 12 to December 5, 1822, taking office following the resignation of Governor Jonathan Jennings' after his election to Congress...
2		Ratliff Boon Ratliff Boon Ratliff Boon was the second Governor of Indiana from September 12 to December 5, 1822, taking office following the resignation of Governor Jonathan Jennings' after his election to Congress...	September 12, 1822	December 5, 1822	Democratic- Republican	vacant
3		William Hendricks William Hendricks William Hendricks was a Democratic-Republican member of the House of Representatives from 1816 to 1822, the third Governor of Indiana from 1822 to 1825, and an Anti-Jacksonian member of the U.S. Senate from 1825 to 1837. He led much of his family into politics and founded one of the largest...	December 5, 1822	February 12, 1825	Democratic- Republican	Ratliff Boon Ratliff Boon Ratliff Boon was the second Governor of Indiana from September 12 to December 5, 1822, taking office following the resignation of Governor Jonathan Jennings' after his election to Congress...
4		James B. Ray James B. Ray James Brown Ray was an Indiana politician and the only Senate President-Pro-Tempore to succeed to become Governor of the State of Indiana. He served during the period when the state transitioned from personal politics to political parties, but never joined a party himself. Elevated at age 31, he...	February 12, 1825	December 7, 1831	Independent	John H. Thompson	At age 31, Governor Ray is the youngest person to serve as governor.
						Milton Stapp
5		Noah Noble Noah Noble Noah Noble was the fifth Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana from 1831 to 1837. His two terms focused largely on internal improvements, culminating in the passage of the Mammoth Internal Improvement Act, which was viewed at the time as his crowning achievement...	December 7, 1831	December 6, 1837	Whig	David Wallace	2
6		David Wallace	December 6, 1837	December 9, 1840	Whig	David Hillis	1
7		Samuel Bigger Samuel Bigger Samuel Bigger was the seventh Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana from December 9, 1840 to December 6, 1843. Bigger was nominated to run for governor because he had no connection to the failed public works program...	December 9, 1840	December 6, 1843	Whig	Samuel Hall	1
8		James Whitcomb James Whitcomb James Whitcomb was a Democratic United States Senator and the eighth Governor of Indiana. As governor during the Mexican-American War, he oversaw the formation and deployment of the state's levies...	December 6, 1843	December 26, 1848	Democratic	Jesse D. Bright Jesse D. Bright Jesse David Bright was the ninth Lieutenant Governor of Indiana and U.S. Senator from Indiana who served as President pro tempore of the Senate on three separate occasions...
						Paris C. Dunning Paris C. Dunning Paris Chipman Dunning was a Democratic state representative, state senator, senate president pro tempore, the tenth Lieutenant Governor, and the ninth Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana from December 26, 1848 to December 5, 1849. He is the only person to hold to every elected seat in the state...
9			December 26, 1848	December 5, 1849	Democratic	vacant
10			December 5, 1849	January 12, 1857	Democratic	James H. Lane	2
						Ashbel P. Willard Ashbel P. Willard Ashbel Parsons Willard was state senator, the 12th Lieutenant Governor, and the 11th Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana. His terms in office were marked by increasingly severe partisanship leading to the breakup of the state Democratic Party in the years leading up to the American Civil War...
11		Ashbel P. Willard Ashbel P. Willard Ashbel Parsons Willard was state senator, the 12th Lieutenant Governor, and the 11th Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana. His terms in office were marked by increasingly severe partisanship leading to the breakup of the state Democratic Party in the years leading up to the American Civil War...	January 12, 1857	October 4, 1860	Democratic	Abram A. Hammond Abram A. Hammond Abram Adams Hammond was the 12th Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana. He succeeded to the office upon the death of Governor Ashbel P. Willard and completed the remaining three months of Willard's term.-Early life:...
12		Abram A. Hammond Abram A. Hammond Abram Adams Hammond was the 12th Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana. He succeeded to the office upon the death of Governor Ashbel P. Willard and completed the remaining three months of Willard's term.-Early life:...	October 4, 1860	January 14, 1861	Democratic	vacant
13		Henry Smith Lane Henry Smith Lane Henry Smith Lane was a United States Representative, Senator, and the 13th Governor of Indiana; he was by design the shortest-serving Governor of Indiana, having made plans to resign the office should his party take control of the Indiana General Assembly and elect him to the United States Senate...	January 14, 1861	January 16, 1861	Republican	Oliver P. Morton Oliver Hazard Perry Morton Oliver Hazard Perry Throck Morton , commonly known as Oliver P. Morton, was a U.S. Republican Party politician from Indiana. He served as the 14th Governor of Indiana during the American Civil War, and was a stalwart ally of President Abraham Lincoln. During the war, Morton suppressed the...
14		Oliver P. Morton Oliver Hazard Perry Morton Oliver Hazard Perry Throck Morton , commonly known as Oliver P. Morton, was a U.S. Republican Party politician from Indiana. He served as the 14th Governor of Indiana during the American Civil War, and was a stalwart ally of President Abraham Lincoln. During the war, Morton suppressed the...	January 16, 1861	January 23, 1867	Republican	Conrad Baker Conrad Baker Conrad Baker was a state representative, 15th Lieutenant Governor, and the 15th Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana from 1867 to 1873...	3
15		Conrad Baker Conrad Baker Conrad Baker was a state representative, 15th Lieutenant Governor, and the 15th Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana from 1867 to 1873...	January 23, 1867	January 13, 1873	Republican	Will Cumback
16		Thomas A. Hendricks Thomas A. Hendricks Thomas Andrews Hendricks was an American politician who served as a Representative and a Senator from Indiana, the 16th Governor of Indiana , and the 21st Vice President of the United States...	January 13, 1873	January 8, 1877	Democratic	Leonidas Sexton Leonidas Sexton Leonidas Sexton was a U.S. Representative from Indiana.Born in Rushville, Indiana, Sexton attended the public schools of his native county and was graduated from Jefferson College , Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, in 1847.He studied law in Rushville and in 1848 and 1849 attended the Cincinnati Law...	1
17		James D. Williams James D. Williams James Douglas Williams , nicknamed Blue Jeans Bill, was a farmer and Democratic politician who held public office in Indiana for four decades, and was the only farmer elected as the Governor of Indiana, serving from 1877 to 1880...	January 8, 1877	November 20, 1880	Democratic	Isaac P. Gray Isaac P. Gray Isaac Pusey Gray was the 18th and 20th Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana from 1880 to 1881 and from 1885 to 1889. Originally a Republican, he oversaw the forceful passage of the post-American Civil War constitutional amendments whilst he was a member of the Indiana Senate...
18		Isaac P. Gray Isaac P. Gray Isaac Pusey Gray was the 18th and 20th Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana from 1880 to 1881 and from 1885 to 1889. Originally a Republican, he oversaw the forceful passage of the post-American Civil War constitutional amendments whilst he was a member of the Indiana Senate...	November 20, 1880	January 10, 1881	Democratic	vacant
19		Albert G. Porter Albert G. Porter Albert Gallatin Porter was an American politician who served as the 19th Governor of Indiana from 1881 to 1885 and as a United States Congressman from 1859 to 1863. Originally a Democrat, he joined the Republican Party in 1856 after being expelled by the pro-slavery faction of the Democratic Party...	January 10, 1881	January 12, 1885	Republican	Thomas Hanna	1
20		Isaac P. Gray Isaac P. Gray Isaac Pusey Gray was the 18th and 20th Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana from 1880 to 1881 and from 1885 to 1889. Originally a Republican, he oversaw the forceful passage of the post-American Civil War constitutional amendments whilst he was a member of the Indiana Senate...	January 12, 1885	January 14, 1889	Democratic	Mahlon Dickerson Manson Mahlon Dickerson Manson Mahlon Dickerson Manson was a druggist, Indiana politician, and a Union general in the American Civil War.-Biography:...	1
21		Alvin P. Hovey Alvin P. Hovey Alvin Peterson Hovey was a Union general during the American Civil War, an Indiana Supreme Court justice, congressman, and the 21st Governor of Indiana from 1889 to 1891. During the war he played an important role in several battles and uncovered a secret plot for an uprising in Indiana...	January 14, 1889	November 23, 1891	Republican	Ira Joy Chase Ira Joy Chase Ira Joy Chase was a veteran of the American Civil War, a leading member of the Grand Army of the Republic, a prominent Church of Christ evangelist, and the 22nd Governor of Indiana between November 23, 1891 January 9, 1893....
22		Ira Joy Chase Ira Joy Chase Ira Joy Chase was a veteran of the American Civil War, a leading member of the Grand Army of the Republic, a prominent Church of Christ evangelist, and the 22nd Governor of Indiana between November 23, 1891 January 9, 1893....	November 23, 1891	January 9, 1893	Republican	vacant
23		Claude Matthews Claude Matthews Claude Matthews was the 23rd Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana from 1893 to 1897. A farmer, he was nominated to prevent the loss of voters to the Populist Party. The Panic of 1893 occurred just before he took office, leading to severe economic problems during his term...	January 9, 1893	January 11, 1897	Democratic	Mortimer Nye	1
24		James A. Mount James A. Mount James Atwell Mount was the governor of Indiana from 1897 to 1901. His term coincided with the economic recovery following the Panic of 1893, and focused primarily on industrial regulations and advancement of agriculture...	January 11, 1897	January 14, 1901	Republican	William S. Haggard	1
25		Winfield T. Durbin Winfield T. Durbin Winfield Taylor Durbin was the 25th Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana from 1901 to 1905. His term focused on progressive legislation and suppression of white cap vigilante organizations operating in the southern part of the state...	January 14, 1901	January 9, 1905	Republican	Newton W. Gilbert Newton W. Gilbert Newton Whiting Gilbert was a politician from Indiana. He was the 23rd Lieutenant Governor of Indiana, member of the Indiana State Senate, a representative in the United States House of Representatives, and Acting Governor-General of the Philippines from September 1, 1913 to October 6, 1913.-Notes:...	1
26		J. Frank Hanly Frank Hanly James Franklin Hanly was a United States politician who served as a congressman from Indiana from 1895 until 1897, and was the 26th Governor of Indiana from 1905 to 1909...	January 9, 1905	January 11, 1909	Republican	Hugh Thomas Miller	1
27		Thomas R. Marshall Thomas R. Marshall Thomas Riley Marshall was an American Democratic politician who served as the 28th Vice President of the United States under Woodrow Wilson...	January 11, 1909	January 13, 1913	Democratic	Frank J. Hall	1
28		Samuel M. Ralston Samuel M. Ralston Samuel Moffett Ralston was Democratic politician, the 28th Governor of and a United States Senator from the U.S. state of Indiana. Born into a large impoverished family, he took many jobs as a child including working in a coal mine...	January 13, 1913	January 8, 1917	Democratic	William P. O'Neill	1
29		James P. Goodrich James P. Goodrich James Putnam Goodrich, , a Republican, was the 29th Governor of Indiana from 1917 to 1921. His term focused on reforming the operations of the state government and overseeing the state's contributions for World War I. He nearly died twice during his term, and spent a considerable time bedridden...	January 8, 1917	January 10, 1921	Republican	Edgar D. Bush	1
30		Warren T. McCray Warren T. McCray Warren Terry McCray was the 30th Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana from 1921 to 1924. He came into conflict with the growing influence of the Indiana Ku Klux Klan after vetoing legislation they supported...	January 10, 1921	April 30, 1924	Republican	Emmett Forrest Branch Emmett Forrest Branch Emmett Forrest Branch was the 31st Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana from 1924 to 1925, serving the remainder of the term of Warren T. McCray after he resigned from office after being convicted for mail fraud...
31		Emmett Forrest Branch Emmett Forrest Branch Emmett Forrest Branch was the 31st Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana from 1924 to 1925, serving the remainder of the term of Warren T. McCray after he resigned from office after being convicted for mail fraud...	April 30, 1924	January 12, 1925	Republican	vacant
32		Edward L. Jackson	January 12, 1925	January 14, 1929	Republican	F. Harold Van Orman	1
33		Harry G. Leslie Harry G. Leslie Harry Guyer Leslie was a Indiana Republican Party politician, speaker of the state house and the 33rd Governor of the state. His term as governor was marked by the start of the Great Depression.-Family and education:...	January 14, 1929	January 9, 1933	Republican	Edgar D. Bush	1
34		Paul V. McNutt Paul V. McNutt Paul Vories McNutt was an American politician who served as the 34th Governor of Indiana during the Great Depression, high commissioner to the Philippines, administrator of the Federal Security Agency, chairman of the War Manpower Commission and ambassador to the Philippines.-Family and...	January 9, 1933	January 11, 1937	Democratic	M. Clifford Townsend M. Clifford Townsend Maurice Clifford Townsend was the 35th Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana from 1937 to 1941. During his term he led relief efforts during and after the Great Flood of 1937.-Early life:...	1
35		M. Clifford Townsend M. Clifford Townsend Maurice Clifford Townsend was the 35th Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana from 1937 to 1941. During his term he led relief efforts during and after the Great Flood of 1937.-Early life:...	January 11, 1937	January 13, 1941	Democratic	Henry F. Schricker Henry F. Schricker Henry Frederick Schricker was the 36th and 38th Governor of the American state of Indiana from 1941 to 1945 and from 1949 to 1953. He is the only Indiana governor elected to two non-consecutive terms, and the only governor between 1852 and 1977 to be elected to more than one term in office...	1
36		Henry F. Schricker Henry F. Schricker Henry Frederick Schricker was the 36th and 38th Governor of the American state of Indiana from 1941 to 1945 and from 1949 to 1953. He is the only Indiana governor elected to two non-consecutive terms, and the only governor between 1852 and 1977 to be elected to more than one term in office...	January 13, 1941	January 8, 1945	Democratic	Charles M. Dawson	1
37		Ralph F. Gates Ralph F. Gates Ralph Fesler Gates was the 37th Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana from 1945 to 1949. A lawyer and veteran of World War I, he is credited with returning his party to power after the Ku Klux Klan scandal in late 1920s that led to years of Democratic dominance of the state government during the...	January 8, 1945	January 10, 1949	Republican	Richard T. James	1
38		Henry F. Schricker Henry F. Schricker Henry Frederick Schricker was the 36th and 38th Governor of the American state of Indiana from 1941 to 1945 and from 1949 to 1953. He is the only Indiana governor elected to two non-consecutive terms, and the only governor between 1852 and 1977 to be elected to more than one term in office...	January 10, 1949	January 12, 1953	Democratic	John A. Watkins	1
						Rue J. Alexander
39		George N. Craig George N. Craig George North Craig was the 39th Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana from 1953 until 1957. A lawyer and veteran of World War II who was promoted to serve in a division command staff, Craig first gained popularity in the state as national commander of the American Legion...	January 12, 1953	January 14, 1957	Republican	Harold W. Handley Harold W. Handley Harold Willis Handley was the 40th Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana from 1957 to 1961. A veteran of World War II, and furniture salesman by trade, Handley began his political career as a state senator. Thanks to his longtime friendship with state party leader and United States Senator William E...	1
40		Harold W. Handley Harold W. Handley Harold Willis Handley was the 40th Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana from 1957 to 1961. A veteran of World War II, and furniture salesman by trade, Handley began his political career as a state senator. Thanks to his longtime friendship with state party leader and United States Senator William E...	January 14, 1957	January 9, 1961	Republican	Crawford F. Parker	1
41		Matthew E. Welsh Matthew E. Welsh Matthew Empson Welsh was the 41st Governor of Indiana from the Democratic Party, serving from 1961 to 1965. His term as governor saw a major increase in statewide taxation, including the first state sales tax, and the passage of a several important civil rights bills making Indiana one of the most...	January 9, 1961	January 11, 1965	Democratic	Richard O. Ristine	1
42		Roger D. Branigin Roger D. Branigin Roger Douglas Branigin was the 42nd Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana from January 11, 1965 to January 13, 1969...	January 11, 1965	January 13, 1969	Democratic	Robert L. Rock	1
43		Edgar Whitcomb Edgar Whitcomb Edgar Doud Whitcomb was the 43rd Governor of Indiana. His term as governor began a major rift in the Indiana Republican Party as urban Republicans became more numerous then rural Republicans, leading to a shift in the priorities of the party leadership. Whitcomb found himself opposed by speaker of...	January 13, 1969	January 8, 1973	Republican	Richard E. Folz	1
44		Otis R. Bowen Otis R. Bowen Otis Ray Bowen, M.D. is a retired U.S. politician and physician. He served as the 44th Governor of Indiana from 1973 to 1981 and as Secretary of Health and Human Services from 1985 to 1989.-Early life:...	January 8, 1973	January 12, 1981	Republican	Robert D. Orr Robert D. Orr Robert Dunkerson Orr was an American political leader and the 45th Governor of Indiana from 1981 to 1989. He was a member of the Republican Party.-Early life:...	2
45		Robert D. Orr Robert D. Orr Robert Dunkerson Orr was an American political leader and the 45th Governor of Indiana from 1981 to 1989. He was a member of the Republican Party.-Early life:...	January 12, 1981	January 9, 1989	Republican	John Mutz John Mutz John Massie Mutz is an American business leader and politician who served as Indiana Lieutenant Governor, Republican candidate for Governor and president of Lilly Endowment, one of America's largest family foundations....	2
46		Evan Bayh Evan Bayh Birch Evans "Evan" Bayh III is a lawyer, advisor and former Democratic politician who served as the junior U.S. Senator from Indiana from 1999 to 2011. He earlier served as the 46th Governor of Indiana from 1989 to 1997. Bayh is a current Fox News contributor as of March 14, 2011.Bayh first held...	January 9, 1989	January 13, 1997	Democratic	Frank O'Bannon Frank O'Bannon Frank Lewis O'Bannon was an American politician who was the 47th Governor of Indiana from 1997 until his death in 2003.-Background:...	2
47		Frank O'Bannon Frank O'Bannon Frank Lewis O'Bannon was an American politician who was the 47th Governor of Indiana from 1997 until his death in 2003.-Background:...	January 13, 1997	September 13, 2003	Democratic	Joe Kernan
48		Joe Kernan	September 13, 2003	January 10, 2005	Democratic	Kathy Davis Kathy Davis Katherine L. Davis was the 46th Lieutenant Governor of Indiana, and the first woman to serve in that office.-Biography:...
49		Mitch Daniels Mitch Daniels Mitchell Elias "Mitch" Daniels, Jr. is the 49th and current Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana. A Republican, he began his first four-year term as governor on January 10, 2005, and was elected to his second term by an 18-point margin on November 4, 2008. Previously, he was the Director of the...	January 10, 2005	incumbent	Republican	Becky Skillman Becky Skillman Rebecca S. "Becky" Skillman is the 49th and current Lieutenant Governor of the State of Indiana. She is a member of the Republican Party. She was sworn in on January 10, 2005.-Early life and career:...	1Governor Daniels' term expires on January 14, 2013; he is term limit Term limit A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of terms a person may serve in a particular elected office. When term limits are found in presidential and semi-presidential systems they act as a method to curb the potential for monopoly, where a leader effectively becomes "president for... ed.

Other high offices held

This is a table of congressional seats and other federal offices held by governors. All representatives and senators mentioned represented Indiana except where noted.

Governor	Gubernatorial term	U.S. Congress United States Congress The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....		Other offices held	Sources
		U.S. House United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...	U.S. Senate United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
William Henry Harrison William Henry Harrison William Henry Harrison was the ninth President of the United States , an American military officer and politician, and the first president to die in office. He was 68 years, 23 days old when elected, the oldest president elected until Ronald Reagan in 1980, and last President to be born before the...	1800–1812			Delegate from Northwest Territory Northwest Territory The Territory Northwest of the River Ohio, more commonly known as the Northwest Territory, was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 13, 1787, until March 1, 1803, when the southeastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Ohio... †, U.S. Representative and Senator from Ohio Ohio Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus... , Minister to Gran Colombia United States Ambassador to Colombia The following is a list of Ambassadors of the United States, or other chiefs of mission, to Colombia and its predecessor states. The title given by the United States State Department to this position is currently Ambassador Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary.- Gran Colombia:The following... , President of the United States President of the United States The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Thomas Posey Thomas Posey Thomas Posey was an officer in the American Revolution, a general during peacetime, the third Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky, Governor of the Indiana Territory, and a Louisiana Senator.-Family and background:...	1813–1816			U.S. Senator from Louisiana Louisiana Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
Jonathan Jennings Jonathan Jennings Jonathan Jennings was the first Governor of Indiana and a nine-term congressman from Indiana. Born in Readington, New Jersey, he studied law with his brother before immigrating to Indiana in 1806 where he took part in land speculation...	1816–1822	H*		Delegate from Indiana Territory
Ratliff Boon Ratliff Boon Ratliff Boon was the second Governor of Indiana from September 12 to December 5, 1822, taking office following the resignation of Governor Jonathan Jennings' after his election to Congress...	1822	H
William Hendricks William Hendricks William Hendricks was a Democratic-Republican member of the House of Representatives from 1816 to 1822, the third Governor of Indiana from 1822 to 1825, and an Anti-Jacksonian member of the U.S. Senate from 1825 to 1837. He led much of his family into politics and founded one of the largest...	1822–1825	H†	S*
David Wallace	1837–1840	H
James Whitcomb James Whitcomb James Whitcomb was a Democratic United States Senator and the eighth Governor of Indiana. As governor during the Mexican-American War, he oversaw the formation and deployment of the state's levies...	1843–1848		S*
Joseph A. Wright Joseph A. Wright Joseph Albert Wright was the tenth Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana from December 5, 1849 to January 12, 1857, most noted for his opposition to banking. His positions created a rift between him and the Indiana General Assembly who overrode all of his anti-banking vetoes...	1849–1857	H	S	Minister to Prussia United States Ambassador to Germany The United States has had diplomatic relations with the nation of Germany and its predecessor nation, the Kingdom of Prussia, since 1835. These relations were broken twice while Germany and the United States were at war...
Henry Smith Lane Henry Smith Lane Henry Smith Lane was a United States Representative, Senator, and the 13th Governor of Indiana; he was by design the shortest-serving Governor of Indiana, having made plans to resign the office should his party take control of the Indiana General Assembly and elect him to the United States Senate...	1861	H	S*
Oliver P. Morton Oliver Hazard Perry Morton Oliver Hazard Perry Throck Morton , commonly known as Oliver P. Morton, was a U.S. Republican Party politician from Indiana. He served as the 14th Governor of Indiana during the American Civil War, and was a stalwart ally of President Abraham Lincoln. During the war, Morton suppressed the...	1861–1867		S*
Thomas A. Hendricks Thomas A. Hendricks Thomas Andrews Hendricks was an American politician who served as a Representative and a Senator from Indiana, the 16th Governor of Indiana , and the 21st Vice President of the United States...	1873–1877	H	S	Vice President of the United States Vice President of the United States The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
James D. Williams James D. Williams James Douglas Williams , nicknamed Blue Jeans Bill, was a farmer and Democratic politician who held public office in Indiana for four decades, and was the only farmer elected as the Governor of Indiana, serving from 1877 to 1880...	1877–1880	H†
Albert G. Porter Albert G. Porter Albert Gallatin Porter was an American politician who served as the 19th Governor of Indiana from 1881 to 1885 and as a United States Congressman from 1859 to 1863. Originally a Democrat, he joined the Republican Party in 1856 after being expelled by the pro-slavery faction of the Democratic Party...	1881–1885	H		Minister to Italy United States Ambassador to Italy Since 1840, the United States has had diplomatic representation in the Italian Republic and its predecessor nation, the Kingdom of Italy, with a break in relations from 1941 to 1944 while Italy and the U.S. were at war during World War II. The U.S. Mission to Italy is headed by the Embassy of the...
Alvin P. Hovey Alvin P. Hovey Alvin Peterson Hovey was a Union general during the American Civil War, an Indiana Supreme Court justice, congressman, and the 21st Governor of Indiana from 1889 to 1891. During the war he played an important role in several battles and uncovered a secret plot for an uprising in Indiana...	1888–1891	H†		Minister to Peru United States Ambassador to Peru The following is a list of United States Ambassadors, or other Chiefs of Mission, to Peru. The title given by the United States State Department to this position is currently Ambassador Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary.-See also:...
J. Frank Hanly Frank Hanly James Franklin Hanly was a United States politician who served as a congressman from Indiana from 1895 until 1897, and was the 26th Governor of Indiana from 1905 to 1909...	1905–1909	H
Thomas R. Marshall Thomas R. Marshall Thomas Riley Marshall was an American Democratic politician who served as the 28th Vice President of the United States under Woodrow Wilson...	1909–1913			Vice President of the United States
Samuel M. Ralston Samuel M. Ralston Samuel Moffett Ralston was Democratic politician, the 28th Governor of and a United States Senator from the U.S. state of Indiana. Born into a large impoverished family, he took many jobs as a child including working in a coal mine...	1913–1917		S
Paul V. McNutt Paul V. McNutt Paul Vories McNutt was an American politician who served as the 34th Governor of Indiana during the Great Depression, high commissioner to the Philippines, administrator of the Federal Security Agency, chairman of the War Manpower Commission and ambassador to the Philippines.-Family and...	1933–1937			High Commissioner to the Philippines High Commissioner to the Philippines High Commissioner to the Philippines was the title of the personal representative of the President of the United States to the Commonwealth of the Philippines during the period 1935-1946. The office was created by the Tydings-McDuffie Act of 1934, which provided for a period of transition from... , Ambassador to the Philippines United States Ambassador to the Philippines The office of the United States Ambassador to the Republic of the Philippines was established on July 4, 1946 after the Philippines gained its independence from the United States....
Otis R. Bowen Otis R. Bowen Otis Ray Bowen, M.D. is a retired U.S. politician and physician. He served as the 44th Governor of Indiana from 1973 to 1981 and as Secretary of Health and Human Services from 1985 to 1989.-Early life:...	1973–1981			U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services United States Secretary of Health and Human Services The United States Secretary of Health and Human Services is the head of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, concerned with health matters. The Secretary is a member of the President's Cabinet...
Robert D. Orr Robert D. Orr Robert Dunkerson Orr was an American political leader and the 45th Governor of Indiana from 1981 to 1989. He was a member of the Republican Party.-Early life:...	1981–1989			Ambassador to Singapore
Evan Bayh Evan Bayh Birch Evans "Evan" Bayh III is a lawyer, advisor and former Democratic politician who served as the junior U.S. Senator from Indiana from 1999 to 2011. He earlier served as the 46th Governor of Indiana from 1989 to 1997. Bayh is a current Fox News contributor as of March 14, 2011.Bayh first held...	1989–1997		S
Mitch Daniels Mitch Daniels Mitchell Elias "Mitch" Daniels, Jr. is the 49th and current Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana. A Republican, he began his first four-year term as governor on January 10, 2005, and was elected to his second term by an 18-point margin on November 4, 2008. Previously, he was the Director of the...	2005–			Director of the Office of Management and Budget

Living former governors

, four former governors were alive. The most recent governor to die was Robert D. Orr

Robert D. Orr

Robert Dunkerson Orr was an American political leader and the 45th Governor of Indiana from 1981 to 1989. He was a member of the Republican Party.-Early life:...

 (1981–1989), on March 10, 2004. The most recently-serving governor to die was Frank O'Bannon

Frank O'Bannon

Frank Lewis O'Bannon was an American politician who was the 47th Governor of Indiana from 1997 until his death in 2003.-Background:...

 (1997–2003), in office on September 13, 2003.

Name	Gubernatorial term	Date of birth
Edgar Whitcomb Edgar Whitcomb Edgar Doud Whitcomb was the 43rd Governor of Indiana. His term as governor began a major rift in the Indiana Republican Party as urban Republicans became more numerous then rural Republicans, leading to a shift in the priorities of the party leadership. Whitcomb found himself opposed by speaker of...	1969–1973	November 06, 1917 (age 94)
Otis R. Bowen Otis R. Bowen Otis Ray Bowen, M.D. is a retired U.S. politician and physician. He served as the 44th Governor of Indiana from 1973 to 1981 and as Secretary of Health and Human Services from 1985 to 1989.-Early life:...	1973–1981	February 26, 1918 (age 93)
Evan Bayh Evan Bayh Birch Evans "Evan" Bayh III is a lawyer, advisor and former Democratic politician who served as the junior U.S. Senator from Indiana from 1999 to 2011. He earlier served as the 46th Governor of Indiana from 1989 to 1997. Bayh is a current Fox News contributor as of March 14, 2011.Bayh first held...	1989–1997	December 26, 1955 (age 56)
Joe Kernan	2003–2005	April 08, 1946 (age 65)