# 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.
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 | Appointed by |
| 1 | William Henry Harrison (1773–1841) | May 13, 1800 – December 28, 1812 (successor appointed) | John Adams |
| 1 | William Henry Harrison (1773–1841) | May 13, 1800 – December 28, 1812 (successor appointed) | Thomas Jefferson |
| 1 | William Henry Harrison (1773–1841) | May 13, 1800 – December 28, 1812 (successor appointed) | James Madison |
| 2 | Thomas Posey (1750–1818) | March 3, 1813 – 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. 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 a 1972 amendment permitted governors to serve for eight years in any twelve-year period. Should the office of governor become vacant, the lieutenant governor becomes governor. 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.
Governors of the State of Indiana :
| No. | Governor | Term in office | Party | Election | Lt. Governor | Lt. Governor |
| 1 | Jonathan Jennings (1784–1834) | November 7, 1816 – September 12, 1822 (resigned) | Democratic- Republican | 1816 | | Christopher Harrison (resigned December 18, 1818) |
| Vacant ||
| 1 | Jonathan Jennings (1784–1834) | November 7, 1816 – September 12, 1822 (resigned) | Democratic- Republican | 1819 | | Ratliff Boon |
| 2 | Ratliff Boon (1781–1844) | September 12, 1822 – December 4, 1822 (successor took office) | Democratic- Republican | Succeeded from lieutenant governor | Vacant | Vacant |
| 3 | William Hendricks (1782–1850) | December 4, 1822 – February 12, 1825 (resigned) | Democratic- Republican | 1822 | | Ratliff Boon (resigned January 30, 1824) |
| Vacant ||
| 4 | James B. Ray (1794–1848) | February 12, 1825 – December 7, 1831 (term-limited) | Democratic- Republican | Succeeded from president of the Senate | Vacant | Vacant |
| 4 | James B. Ray (1794–1848) | February 12, 1825 – December 7, 1831 (term-limited) | Democratic- Republican | 1825 | | John H. Thompson |
| 4 | James B. Ray (1794–1848) | February 12, 1825 – December 7, 1831 (term-limited) | Democratic- Republican | 1828 | | Milton Stapp |
| 5 | Noah Noble (1794–1844) | December 7, 1831 – December 6, 1837 (term-limited) | National Republican | 1831 | | David Wallace |
| 5 | Noah Noble (1794–1844) | December 7, 1831 – December 6, 1837 (term-limited) | Whig | 1834 | | David Wallace |
| 6 | David Wallace (1799–1859) | December 6, 1837 – December 9, 1840 (did not run) | Whig | 1837 | | David Hillis |
| 7 | Samuel Bigger (1802–1846) | December 9, 1840 – December 6, 1843 (lost election) | Whig | 1840 | | Samuel Hall |
| 8 | James Whitcomb (1795–1852) | December 6, 1843 – December 27, 1848 (resigned) | Democratic | 1843 | | Jesse D. Bright (resigned December 8, 1845) |
| Vacant ||
| 8 | James Whitcomb (1795–1852) | December 6, 1843 – December 27, 1848 (resigned) | Democratic | 1846 | | Paris C. Dunning |
| 9 | Paris C. Dunning (1806–1884) | December 27, 1848 – December 5, 1849 (did not run) | Democratic | Succeeded from lieutenant governor | Vacant | Vacant |
| 10 | Joseph A. Wright (1810–1867) | December 5, 1849 – January 12, 1857 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1849 | | Jim Lane |
| 10 | Joseph A. Wright (1810–1867) | December 5, 1849 – January 12, 1857 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1852 | | Ashbel P. Willard |
| 11 | Ashbel P. Willard (1820–1860) | January 12, 1857 – October 4, 1860 (died in office) | Democratic | 1856 | | Abram A. Hammond |
| 12 | Abram A. Hammond (1814–1874) | October 4, 1860 – January 14, 1861 (successor took office) | Democratic | Succeeded from lieutenant governor | Vacant | Vacant |
| 13 | Henry S. Lane (1811–1881) | January 14, 1861 – January 16, 1861 (resigned) | Republican | 1860 | | Oliver P. Morton |
| 14 | Oliver P. Morton (1823–1877) | January 16, 1861 – January 24, 1867 (resigned) | Republican | Succeeded from lieutenant governor | Vacant | Vacant |
| 14 | Oliver P. Morton (1823–1877) | January 16, 1861 – January 24, 1867 (resigned) | Union | 1864 | | Conrad Baker |
| 15 | Conrad Baker (1817–1885) | January 24, 1867 – January 13, 1873 (term-limited) | Union | Succeeded from lieutenant governor | Vacant | Vacant |
| 15 | Conrad Baker (1817–1885) | January 24, 1867 – January 13, 1873 (term-limited) | Republican | 1868 | | William Cumback (resigned January 11, 1871) |
| Vacant ||
| 16 | Thomas A. Hendricks (1819–1885) | January 13, 1873 – January 8, 1877 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1872 | | Leonidas Sexton |
| 17 | James D. Williams (1808–1880) | January 8, 1877 – November 20, 1880 (died in office) | Democratic | 1876 | | Isaac P. Gray |
| 18 | Isaac P. Gray (1828–1895) | November 20, 1880 – January 10, 1881 (successor took office) | Democratic | Succeeded from lieutenant governor | Vacant | Vacant |
| 19 | Albert G. Porter (1824–1897) | January 10, 1881 – January 12, 1885 (term-limited) | Republican | 1880 | | Thomas Hanna |
| 20 | Isaac P. Gray (1828–1895) | January 12, 1885 – January 14, 1889 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1884 | | Mahlon Dickerson Manson (resigned July 1886) |
| Vacant ||
| 21 | Alvin Peterson Hovey (1821–1891) | January 14, 1889 – November 23, 1891 (died in office) | Republican | 1888 | | Ira Joy Chase |
| 22 | Ira Joy Chase (1834–1895) | November 23, 1891 – January 9, 1893 (lost election) | Republican | Succeeded from lieutenant governor | Vacant | Vacant |
| 23 | Claude Matthews (1845–1898) | January 9, 1893 – January 11, 1897 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1892 | | Mortimer Nye |
| 24 | James A. Mount (1843–1901) | January 11, 1897 – January 14, 1901 (term-limited) | Republican | 1896 | | William S. Haggard |
| 25 | Winfield T. Durbin (1847–1928) | January 14, 1901 – January 9, 1905 (term-limited) | Republican | 1900 | | Newton W. Gilbert |
| 26 | Frank Hanly (1863–1920) | January 9, 1905 – January 11, 1909 (term-limited) | Republican | 1904 | | Hugh Thomas Miller |
| 27 | Thomas R. Marshall (1854–1925) | January 11, 1909 – January 13, 1913 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1908 | | Frank J. Hall |
| 28 | Samuel M. Ralston (1857–1925) | January 13, 1913 – January 8, 1917 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1912 | | William P. O'Neill |
| 29 | James P. Goodrich (1864–1940) | January 8, 1917 – January 10, 1921 (term-limited) | Republican | 1916 | | Edgar D. Bush |
| 30 | Warren T. McCray (1865–1938) | January 10, 1921 – April 30, 1924 (resigned) | Republican | 1920 | | Emmett Forest Branch |
| 31 | Emmett Forest Branch (1874–1932) | April 30, 1924 – January 12, 1925 (did not run) | Republican | Succeeded from lieutenant governor | Vacant | Vacant |
| 32 | Edward L. Jackson (1873–1954) | January 12, 1925 – January 14, 1929 (term-limited) | Republican | 1924 | | F. Harold Van Orman |
| 33 | Harry G. Leslie (1878–1937) | January 14, 1929 – January 9, 1933 (term-limited) | Republican | 1928 | | Edgar D. Bush |
| 34 | Paul V. McNutt (1891–1955) | January 9, 1933 – January 11, 1937 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1932 | | M. Clifford Townsend |
| 35 | M. Clifford Townsend (1884–1954) | January 11, 1937 – January 13, 1941 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1936 | | Henry F. Schricker |
| 36 | Henry F. Schricker (1883–1966) | January 13, 1941 – January 8, 1945 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1940 | | Charles M. Dawson |
| 37 | Ralph F. Gates (1893–1978) | January 8, 1945 – January 10, 1949 (term-limited) | Republican | 1944 | | Richard T. James (resigned April 1, 1948) |
| Vacant ||
| 37 | Ralph F. Gates (1893–1978) | January 8, 1945 – January 10, 1949 (term-limited) | Republican | 1944 | | Rue J. Alexander (appointed April 14, 1948) (died January 2, 1949) |
| Vacant ||
| 38 | Henry F. Schricker (1883–1966) | January 10, 1949 – January 12, 1953 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1948 | | John A. Watkins |
| 39 | George N. Craig (1909–1992) | January 12, 1953 – January 14, 1957 (term-limited) | Republican | 1952 | | Harold W. Handley |
| 40 | Harold W. Handley (1909–1972) | January 14, 1957 – January 9, 1961 (term-limited) | Republican | 1956 | | Crawford F. Parker |
| 41 | Matthew E. Welsh (1912–1995) | January 9, 1961 – January 11, 1965 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1960 | | Richard O. Ristine |
| 42 | Roger D. Branigin (1902–1975) | January 11, 1965 – January 13, 1969 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1964 | | Robert L. Rock |
| 43 | Edgar Whitcomb (1917–2016) | January 13, 1969 – January 8, 1973 (did not run) | Republican | 1968 | | Richard E. Folz |
| 44 | Otis Bowen (1918–2013) | January 8, 1973 – January 12, 1981 (term-limited) | Republican | 1972 | | Robert D. Orr |
| 44 | Otis Bowen (1918–2013) | January 8, 1973 – January 12, 1981 (term-limited) | Republican | 1976 | | Robert D. Orr |
| 45 | Robert D. Orr (1917–2004) | January 12, 1981 – January 9, 1989 (term-limited) | Republican | 1980 | | John Mutz |
| 45 | Robert D. Orr (1917–2004) | January 12, 1981 – January 9, 1989 (term-limited) | Republican | 1984 | | John Mutz |
| 46 | Evan Bayh (b. 1955) | January 9, 1989 – January 13, 1997 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1988 | | Frank O'Bannon |
| 46 | Evan Bayh (b. 1955) | January 9, 1989 – January 13, 1997 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1992 | | Frank O'Bannon |
| 47 | Frank O'Bannon (1930–2003) | January 13, 1997 – September 13, 2003 (died in office) | Democratic | 1996 | | Joe Kernan |
| 47 | Frank O'Bannon (1930–2003) | January 13, 1997 – September 13, 2003 (died in office) | Democratic | 2000 | | Joe Kernan |
| 48 | Joe Kernan (1946–2020) | September 13, 2003 – January 10, 2005 (lost election) | Democratic | Succeeded from lieutenant governor | Vacant | Vacant |
| 48 | Joe Kernan (1946–2020) | September 13, 2003 – January 10, 2005 (lost election) | Democratic | Succeeded from lieutenant governor | | Kathy Davis (appointed October 20, 2003) |
| 49 | Mitch Daniels (b. 1949) | January 10, 2005 – January 14, 2013 (term-limited) | Republican | 2004 | | Becky Skillman |
| 49 | Mitch Daniels (b. 1949) | January 10, 2005 – January 14, 2013 (term-limited) | Republican | 2008 | | Becky Skillman |
| 50 | Mike Pence (b. 1959) | January 14, 2013 – January 9, 2017 (withdrew) | Republican | 2012 | | Sue Ellspermann (resigned March 2, 2016) |
| Vacant ||
| 50 | Mike Pence (b. 1959) | January 14, 2013 – January 9, 2017 (withdrew) | Republican | 2012 | | Eric Holcomb (appointed March 3, 2016) |
| 51 | Eric Holcomb (b. 1968) | January 9, 2017 – January 13, 2025 (term-limited) | Republican | 2016 | | Suzanne Crouch |
| 51 | Eric Holcomb (b. 1968) | January 9, 2017 – January 13, 2025 (term-limited) | Republican | 2020 | | Suzanne Crouch |
| 52 | Mike Braun (b. 1954) | January 13, 2025 – Incumbent | Republican | 2024 | | Micah Beckwith |