Indiana Governor | |
General information | |
Office Type: | Partisan |
Office website: | Official Link |
Compensation: | $134,051 |
2025 FY Budget: | $8,390,000 |
Term limits: | 8 out of 12 years |
Structure | |
Length of term: | 4 years |
Authority: | Indiana Constitution, Article 5, the Executive Department |
Selection Method: | Elected |
Current Officeholder | |
Governor of Indiana
Eric Holcomb | |
Elections | |
Next election: | November 5, 2024 |
Last election: | November 3, 2020 |
Other Indiana Executive Offices | |
Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Comptroller • Examiner • Secretary of Education • Agriculture Director • Insurance Commissioner • Natural Resources Director • Labor Commissioner • Utility Regulatory Commission |
The Governor of the State of Indiana is an elected constitutional officer, the head of the executive branch and the highest state office in Indiana. The governor is popularly elected every four years by a plurality and is limited to two consecutive terms with at least a four-year span before the same individual may hold the office again.[1]
Indiana has a Republican trifecta. The Republican Party controls the office of governor and both chambers of the state legislature.
Indiana has a Republican triplex. The Republican Party controls the offices of governor, secretary of state, and attorney general.
The 51st and current governor of Indiana is Republican Eric Holcomb.[2] Holcomb won election on November 8, 2016, and was sworn into office on January 9, 2017.[3]
The state Constitution addresses the office of the governor in Article 5, the Executive Department.
Under Article 5, Section 1:
The executive power of the State shall be vested in a Governor.[1] |
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Qualifications for the governorship are set forth in Article 5, Section 7.
To become governor of Indiana, a candidate must have been a United States citizen and lived within Indiana for the period of five consecutive years before the election. The candidate must also be at least 30 years old when sworn into office. Under Section 8, the governor may not hold any other state or federal office during his or her term, and must resign from any such position before being eligible to be sworn in as governor.
Before taking the office, the candidate must swear an oath of office administered by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Indiana, promising to uphold the constitution and laws of Indiana.[1]
Indiana elects governors in the presidential elections, that is, in leap years. For Indiana 2016, 2020, 2024, and 2028 are all gubernatorial election years. Legally, the gubernatorial inauguration is always set for the second Monday in the January following an election (§ 9).
If two candidates are tied, a joint session of the General Assembly shall cast ballots to determine the winner, pursuant to Article 5, Section 5.
Jennifer McCormick, Mike Braun, Donald Rainwater, and Christopher Stried are running in the general election for Governor of Indiana on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | ||
Jennifer McCormick (D) | ||
Mike Braun (R) | ||
Donald Rainwater (L) | ||
Christopher Stried (Independent) |
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Jennifer McCormick advanced from the Democratic primary for Governor of Indiana on May 7, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Jennifer McCormick | 100.0 | 180,577 |
Total votes: 180,577 | ||||
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The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for Governor of Indiana on May 7, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Mike Braun | 39.5 | 237,125 | |
Suzanne Crouch | 21.7 | 130,219 | ||
Brad Chambers | 17.5 | 104,723 | ||
Eric Doden | 11.8 | 71,031 | ||
Jamie Reitenour | 4.8 | 28,774 | ||
Curtis Hill | 4.6 | 27,750 |
Total votes: 599,622 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Donald Rainwater defeated Rhonda Greene in the Libertarian convention for Governor of Indiana on March 2, 2024.
Candidate | ||
Rhonda Greene (L) | ||
✔ | Donald Rainwater (L) |
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Incumbent Eric Holcomb defeated Woody Myers and Donald Rainwater in the general election for Governor of Indiana on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Eric Holcomb (R) | 56.5 | 1,706,724 | |
Woody Myers (D) | 32.1 | 968,092 | ||
Donald Rainwater (L) | 11.4 | 345,567 |
Total votes: 3,020,383 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Woody Myers advanced from the Democratic primary for Governor of Indiana on June 2, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Woody Myers | 100.0 | 408,230 |
Total votes: 408,230 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Incumbent Eric Holcomb advanced from the Republican primary for Governor of Indiana on June 2, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Eric Holcomb | 100.0 | 524,496 |
Total votes: 524,496 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Donald Rainwater advanced from the Libertarian convention for Governor of Indiana on March 7, 2020.
Candidate | ||
✔ | Donald Rainwater (L) |
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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The general election for governor was held on November 8, 2016.
Eric Holcomb and Suzanne Crouch defeated John Gregg and Christina Hale, Rex Bell and Karl Tatgenhorst, Christopher Stried, and Adam Adkins in the Indiana governor election.
Indiana Governor, 2016 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
Republican | Eric Holcomb and Suzanne Crouch | 51.4% | 1,396,460 | |
Democratic | John Gregg and Christina Hale | 45.4% | 1,234,546 | |
Libertarian | Rex Bell and Karl Tatgenhorst | 3.2% | 86,964 | |
Independent | Adam Adkins | 0.00% | 14 | |
Independent | Christopher Stried | 0.00% | 8 | |
Total Votes | 2,717,992 | |||
Source: Indiana Election Division |
On November 6, 2012, Mike Pence and Sue Ellspermann won election as Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Indiana. They defeated the Gregg/Simpson (D), Boneham/Klopfenstein (L) and Harris/Fish (I) ticket(s) in the general election.
Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Indiana, 2012 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
Republican | Mike Pence & Sue Ellspermann | 49.5% | 1,275,424 | |
Democratic | John Gregg & Vi Simpson | 46.6% | 1,200,016 | |
Libertarian | Rupert Boneham & Brad Klopfenstein | 4% | 101,868 | |
Independent | Donnie Harold Harris & George Fish | 0% | 21 | |
Total Votes | 2,577,329 | |||
Election Results Via: via Indiana Secretary of State |
Indiana governors are restricted to eight years in office during any 12-year period.
Indiana Constitution, Article 5, Section 1
The executive power of the State shall be vested in a Governor. He shall hold his office during four years, and shall not be eligible more than eight years in any period of twelve years.[1] |
The chart below shows the partisan breakdown of Indiana governors from 1992 to 2013.
Details of vacancies are addressed under Article 5, Section 10.
If the governor becomes incapacitated then the lieutenant governor of Indiana becomes acting-governor until his or her recovery. If the governor resigns, dies, or is impeached, tried, and convicted, then the lieutenant governor becomes governor.
If the office of the lieutenant governor is vacant, then the Senate Pro-Tempore becomes governor. If the office of Senate Pro-Tempore is also vacant then the senate must elect a new Pro-Tempore to fill the governor's office.
The governor may temporarily step aside if he or she communicates that he or she is unable to discharge the office to both the President Pro-Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The same two individuals may file a petition with the Indiana Supreme Court asking for a hearing of fitness for office for the Governor. In that case, the hearing must be held within 48 hours and the Supreme Court's decision is final.
If the governor and lieutenant governor both vacate their offices, the General Assembly must meet within 48 hours and elect an acting governor, who must belong to the same party as the elected governor, by a simple majority in each chamber. Until then, the acting governor shall be, in order of succession:
The Governor of Indiana has wide-ranging executive authority to manage the government of the state and is the chief executive of the executive branch of the state government. These powers are established in the Indiana Constitution. The governor works in concert with the Indiana General Assembly and the Supreme Court of Indiana to govern the state. As an independent branch, the governor has the ability to balance the other branches. Among these abilities is the power to veto legislation passed by the Indiana General Assembly. If vetoed, a bill is returned to the General Assembly for reconsideration where they may override the veto with a simple majority. The governor also has the ability to call a special session of the General Assembly, who can otherwise not assemble longer than is permitted by the constitution.
The governor can influence the courts by using the appointment power. The Indiana Judicial Nominating Commission creates a list of three candidates from which the governor chooses one who will serve on the state courts. This authority gives the governor considerable sway in setting the makeup of the judiciary.
Among his other powers, the governor can call out the state defense force or the Indiana National Guard in times of emergency or disaster. The governor is also charged with the enforcement of all the state's laws and the Indiana Code which is carried out through the Indiana State Police. The governor also has the ability to pardon or commute the sentence of any criminal offenders except in cases of treason or impeachment.[1]
Other duties and privileges of the office include:
The website of the Governor of Indiana details the following three offices within his Cabinet:
The state operates on a biennial budget cycle. The sequence of key events in the budget process is as follows:[4]
There are no constitutional or statutory provisions mandating that the governor submit or sign a balanced budget. Budget deficits may be carried over to the next biennium.[4]
Indiana is one of six states in which the governor cannot exercise line item veto authority.[4][5]
The Governor's Office budget was $8,390,000 for the 2025 fiscal year.[6]
The salary of the governor is determined by the Indiana State Legislature as mandated in the state constitution. Article 5, Section 22 of the Indiana Constitution also prohibits changes to salary during the governor's current term.
Article 5, Section 22 of the Indiana Constitution
Text of Section 22:
Compensation of Governor The Governor shall, at stated times, receive for his services a compensation, which shall neither be increased nor diminished, during the term for which he shall have been elected.[1] |
In 2007, the Indiana Senate passed SB 401, which tied annual salary increases to increases received by state employees. State executive officials are not eligible for salary increases if state employees do not receive increases to their salaries. The governor's salary is adjusted every four years with the increase taking effect the year following the most recent gubernatorial election.[7]
In 2022, the officer's salary was $134,051, according to the Council of State Governments.[8]
In 2021, the governor received a salary of $134,051, according to the Council of State Governments.[9]
In 2020, the governor received a salary of $121,331, according to the Council of State Governments.[10]
In 2019, the governor received a salary of $121,331, according to the Council of State Governments.[11]
In 2018, the governor received a salary of $121,331, according to the Council of State Governments.[12]
In 2017, the governor received a salary of $121,331, according to the Council of State Governments.[13]
In 2016, the governor received a salary of $111,688, according to the Council of State Governments.[14]
In 2015, the governor received a salary of $111,688, according to the Council of State Governments.[15]
In 2014, the governor received a salary of $111,688, according to the Council of State Governments.[16]
In 2013, the governor's salary was increased to $111,688, according to the Council of State Governments.[17]
As of 2012, the governor received a salary of $107,881, according to the Council of State Governments.
Since 1816, Indiana has had 51 governors. Of the 51, 21 have been Democrats, 23 have been Republicans, three were Democratic-Republicans, three were Whigs and one was Independent. Prior to becoming a state on December 11, 1816, three men - William Henry Harrison, John Gibson, and Thomas Posey - served as Governor of the Indiana Territory from 1800-1816.[18]
# | Name | Term of office | Party |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Jonathan Jennings | November 7, 1816-September 12, 1822 | Democratic-Republican |
2 | Ratliff Boon | September 12, 1822-December 5, 1822 | Democratic-Republican |
3 | William Hendricks | December 5, 1822-February 12, 1825 | Democratic-Republican |
4 | James Brown Ray | February 12, 1825-December 7, 1831 | Independent |
5 | Noah Noble | December 7, 1831-December 6, 1837 | Whig |
6 | David Wallace | December 6, 1837-December 9, 1840 | Whig |
7 | Samuel Bigger | December 9, 1840-December 6, 1843 | Whig |
8 | James Whitcomb | December 6, 1843-December 26, 1848 | Democratic |
9 | Paris Chipman Dunning | December 26, 1848-December 5, 1849 | Democratic |
10 | Joseph Albert Wright | December 5, 1849-January 12, 1857 | Democratic |
11 | Ashbel Parsons Willard | January 12, 1857-October 4, 1860 | Democratic |
12 | Abram Adams Hammond | October 4, 1860-January 14, 1861 | Democratic |
13 | Henry Smith Lane | January 14, 1861-January 16, 1861 | Republican |
14 | Oliver Perry Morton | January 16, 1861-January 23, 1867 | Republican |
15 | Conrad Baker | January 23, 1867-January 13, 1873 | Republican |
16 | Thomas Andrews Hendricks | January 13, 1873-January 8, 1877 | Democratic |
17 | James Douglas Williams | January 8, 1877-November 20, 1880 | Democratic |
18 | Isaac Pusey Gray | November 20, 1880-January 10, 1881 | Democratic |
19 | Albert Gallatin Porter | January 10, 1881-January 12, 1885 | Republican |
20 | Isaac Pusey Gray | January 12, 1885-January 14, 1889 | Democratic |
21 | Alvin Peterson Hovey | January 14, 1889-November 23, 1891 | Republican |
22 | Ira Joy Chase | November 23, 1891-January 9, 1893 | Republican |
23 | Claude Matthews | January 9, 1893-January 11, 1897 | Democratic |
24 | James Atwell Mount | January 11, 1897-January 14, 1901 | Republican |
25 | Winfield Taylor Durbin | January 14, 1901-January 9, 1905 | Republican |
26 | James Frank Hanly | January 9, 1905-January 11, 1909 | Republican |
27 | Thomas Riley Marshall | January 11, 1909-January 13, 1913 | Democratic |
28 | Samuel Moffett Ralston | January 13, 1913-January 8, 1917 | Democratic |
29 | James Putnam Goodrich | January 8, 1917-January 10, 1921 | Republican |
30 | Warren Terry McCray | January 10, 1921-April 30, 1924 | Republican |
31 | Emmett Forrest Branch | April 30, 1924-January 12, 1925 | Republican |
32 | Edward L. Jackson | January 12, 1925-January 14, 1929 | Republican |
33 | Harry Guyer Leslie | January 14, 1929-January 9, 1933 | Republican |
34 | Paul Vories McNutt | January 9, 1933-January 11, 1937 | Democratic |
35 | Maurice Clifford Townsend | January 11, 1937-January 13, 1941 | Democratic |
36 | Henry Frederick Schricker | January 13, 1941-January 8, 1945 | Democratic |
37 | Ralph F. Gates | January 8, 1945-January 10, 1949 | Republican |
38 | Henry Frederick Schricker | January 10, 1949-January 12, 1953 | Democratic |
39 | George N. Craig | January 12, 1953-January 14, 1957 | Republican |
40 | Harold W. Handley | January 14, 1957-January 9, 1961 | Republican |
41 | Matthew E. Welsh | January 9, 1961-January 11, 1965 | Democratic |
42 | Roger D. Branigin | January 11, 1965-January 13, 1969 | Democratic |
43 | Edgar D. Whitcomb | January 13, 1969-January 9, 1973 | Republican |
44 | Otis R. Bowen | January 9, 1973-January 13, 1981 | Republican |
45 | Robert D. Orr | January 13, 1981-January 9, 1989 | Republican |
46 | Evan Bayh | January 9, 1989-January 13, 1997 | Democratic |
47 | Frank O'Bannon | January 13, 1997-September 13, 2003 | Democratic |
48 | Joseph E. Kernan | September 13, 2003-January 10, 2005 | Democratic |
49 | Mitch Daniels | January 10, 2005-January 14, 2013 | Republican |
50 | Mike Pence | January 14, 2013-January 9, 2017 | Republican |
51 | Eric Holcomb | January 9, 2017 - Present | Republican |
From 1992-2013, Indiana had Democratic governors in office for the first 13 years while there were Republican governors in office for the last nine years. Indiana was under Republican trifectas for the last three years of the study period.
Across the country, there were 493 years of Democratic governors (44.82%) and 586 years of Republican governors (53.27%) from 1992 to 2013.
Over the course of the 22-year study, state governments became increasingly more partisan. At the outset of the study period (1992), 18 of the 49 states with partisan legislatures had single-party trifectas and 31 states had divided governments. In 2013, only 13 states had divided governments, while single-party trifectas held sway in 36 states, the most in the 22 years studied.
The chart below shows the partisan composition of the Office of the Governor of Indiana, the Indiana State Senate and the Indiana House of Representatives from 1992 to 2013.
The chart below depicts the partisanship of the Indiana state government and the state's SQLI ranking for the years studied. For the SQLI, the states were ranked from 1-50, with 1 being the best and 50 the worst. Indiana had a long period of divided government between 1992 and 2004 until the arrival of a Republican trifecta in 2005. Indiana reverted back to divided government between 2007 and 2010 before reverting yet again to a Republican trifecta in 2011. The state has never had a Democratic trifecta. Indiana’s highest SQLI ranking came in 1995 (12th) under divided government, while the state’s lowest SQLI ranking came in 2009 (34th), also under divided government. The state’s greatest leap in the ranking occurred between 1994 and 1995, where Indiana rose seven spots. Its greatest decline in the ranking occurred between 2003 and 2004, where the state dropped seven spots.
Demographic data for Indiana | ||
---|---|---|
Indiana | U.S. | |
Total population: | 6,612,768 | 316,515,021 |
Land area (sq mi): | 35,826 | 3,531,905 |
Race and ethnicity** | ||
White: | 84.2% | 73.6% |
Black/African American: | 9.2% | 12.6% |
Asian: | 1.9% | 5.1% |
Native American: | 0.2% | 0.8% |
Pacific Islander: | 0% | 0.2% |
Two or more: | 2.2% | 3% |
Hispanic/Latino: | 6.4% | 17.1% |
Education | ||
High school graduation rate: | 87.8% | 86.7% |
College graduation rate: | 24.1% | 29.8% |
Income | ||
Median household income: | $49,255 | $53,889 |
Persons below poverty level: | 18.4% | 11.3% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Indiana. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. |
Indiana voted Republican in five out of the six presidential elections between 2000 and 2020.
Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won these Pivot Counties by more than 580,000 votes. Of these 206 counties, five are located in Indiana, accounting for 2.43 percent of the total pivot counties.[19]
In 2020, Ballotpedia re-examined the 206 Pivot Counties to view their voting patterns following that year's presidential election. Ballotpedia defined those won by Trump won as Retained Pivot Counties and those won by Joe Biden (D) as Boomerang Pivot Counties. Nationwide, there were 181 Retained Pivot Counties and 25 Boomerang Pivot Counties. Indiana had five Retained Pivot Counties, 2.76 percent of all Retained Pivot Counties.
More Indiana coverage on Ballotpedia
Office of the Governor
Statehouse
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204-2797
Phone: 317-232-4567
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State of Indiana Indianapolis (capital) | |
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