List of governors of Indiana
The Governor of Indiana is the head of the executive branch of Indiana's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Indiana General Assembly, to convene that body, and to grant pardons, except in cases of treason or impeachment.[1]
While a territory, Indiana had two President-appointed governors.[2] Since statehood in 1816, it has had 47 governors, serving 49 distinct terms; Isaac P. Gray and Henry F. Schricker are the only governors to have served non-consecutive terms. The longest-serving state governors are Otis R. Bowen, Evan Bayh and Mitch Daniels at 8 years, 4 days; territorial governor William Henry Harrison served for over 12 years. The shortest-serving governor is Henry Smith Lane, who served two days before resigning to become a U.S. Senator.[3] The current governor is Eric Holcomb, who took office on January 9, 2017 succeeding Mike Pence, who became Vice President of the United States on January 20, 2017.
Governors
Governors of the Indiana Territory
Indiana Territory was formed on July 4, 1800, from the Northwest Territory. Michigan Territory was split from the territory on June 30, 1805, and Illinois Territory followed on March 1, 1809, leaving Indiana Territory with its final borders.[4] From October 1, 1804, to July 4, 1805, the District of Louisiana was under the jurisdiction of Indiana Territory.[5]
No. | Portrait | Governor | Term in office | Appointed by |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | William Henry Harrison | January 10, 1801 – December 28, 1812 |
John Adams | |
Thomas Jefferson | ||||
James Madison | ||||
— | — | John Gibson | December 28, 1812 – March 3, 1813 |
acting[a] |
2 | Thomas Posey | March 3, 1813 – November 7, 1816 |
James Madison |
Governors of the State of Indiana
Indiana was admitted to the Union on December 11, 1816.[7] The original 1816 Constitution of Indiana provided for the election of a governor and a lieutenant governor every three years.[8] 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.[9] Governors were allowed to serve for four years in any eight-year period,[9] but this was extended by a 1972 amendment permitting governors to serve for eight years in any twelve-year period.[10] Should the office of governor become vacant, the lieutenant governor becomes governor.[11] Nine lieutenant governors have succeeded to the governorship. If the office of lieutenant governor is vacant, the president pro tempore of the Indiana Senate becomes governor;[11] this has happened once, when James B. Ray succeeded William Hendricks.[12]
Living former governors
There are four living former governors of Indiana, the oldest being Joe Kernan (served 2003–2005, born 1946). The most recent governor to die was Edgar Whitcomb (served 1969–1973, born 1917), on February 4, 2016. The most recently serving governor to die was Frank O'Bannon (served 1997–2003, born 1930), in office on September 13, 2003.
-
Evan Bayh
(1989–1997)
December 26, 1955 -
Joe Kernan
(2003–2005)
April 8, 1946
Notes
- ^ John Gibson is sometimes known as Indiana's second territorial governor. He actually only served as acting governor of the Indiana Territory during the absences of Governor William Henry Harrison.[6]
- ^ Does not include acting lieutenant governors. All lieutenant governors represented the same party as their governor.
- ^ 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.[13]
- ^ Jennings resigned to take an elected seat in the United States House of Representatives; as lieutenant governor, Boon succeeded him.
- ^ Hendricks resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate; as the office of lieutenant governor was vacant, Ray, as president pro tempore of the senate, succeeded him.
- ^ Whitcomb resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate; as lieutenant governor, Dunning succeeded him.
- ^ Terms were lengthened from three to four years beginning with this term.
- ^ Willard died in office; as lieutenant governor, Hammond succeeded him.
- ^ Lane resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate; as lieutenant governor, Morton succeeded him.
- ^ Morton resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate; as lieutenant governor, Baker succeeded him.
- ^ Baker acted as governor from October 1865 to March 1866 while Morton sought treatment for a stroke and handed over executive powers.[14]
- ^ Williams died in office; as lieutenant governor, Gray succeeded him.
- ^ Hovey died in office; as lieutenant governor, Chase succeeded him.
- ^ McCray resigned following his conviction for mail fraud, and served three years in prison until he was pardoned by President Herbert Hoover.[15] As lieutenant governor, Branch succeeded him.
- ^ O'Bannon died in office; as lieutenant governor, Kernan succeeded him.
- ^ Governor Holcomb's first term expires on January 11, 2021.
References
- General
- Funk, Arville L (1983) [1969]. A Sketchbook of Indiana History. Rochester, Indiana: Christian Book Press.
- Indiana Historical Bureau. "Lieutenant Governors". State of Indiana. Retrieved May 27, 2008.
- "Indiana Governors". National Governors Association. Archived from the original on February 4, 2009. Retrieved December 6, 2008.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - McLauchlan, William P. (1996). The Indiana State Constitution. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 0-313-29208-6.
- "Previous Governors". State of Indiana. Archived from the original on December 1, 2008. Retrieved December 6, 2008.
{{cite web}}
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ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - Woollen, William Wesley (1975). Biographical and Historical Sketches of Early Indiana. Ayer Publishing. ISBN 0-405-06896-4.
- Year Book of the State of Indiana. 1919.
- Constitutions
- "Constitution of the State of Indiana". Indiana Legislature. Retrieved December 8, 2008.
- "1816 Constitution of the State of Indiana". State of Indian. Retrieved July 13, 2010.
- "1851 Constitution of the State of Indiana". Indiana Historical Bureau. Retrieved December 8, 2008.
- Specific
- ^ IN Const. art V
- ^ Funk, p. 204
- ^ "Henry Smith Lane". Indiana Historical Bureau. Retrieved December 6, 2008.
- ^ Funk, p. 188
- ^ Shoemaker, Floyd Calvin (1916). Missouri's Struggle for Statehood, 1804–1821. Jefferson City: The Hugh Stephens Printing Co. pp. 15–24. OCLC 4014912. Retrieved December 23, 2008.
- ^ "John Gibson Letters". Indiana State Library. Archived from the original on December 2, 2008. Retrieved December 6, 2008.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
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- ^ 1816 Const. art. IV, § 3
- ^ a b IN Const. art. V, § 1
- ^ McLauchlan p. 94
- ^ a b IN Const. art. V, § 10
- ^ Woollen, p. 56
- ^ 1919 Year Book, p. 981
- ^ "Indiana Governor Conrad Baker". National Governors Association. Archived from the original on January 4, 2010. Retrieved July 13, 2010.
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