The state of Indiana elects its Governor in a statewide election held every four years. Since 1816, when Indiana became a state, there have been fifty-one gubernatorial elections; the last election occurred in 2008. To win election, a governor need only receive the most votes; in twelve elections the candidate won by plurality. James B. Ray won by the smallest percentage with 39.6% of the vote, while William Hendricks won by the most, taking 100% of the vote in an uncontested election. The narrowest election victory was Conrad Baker's defeat of Thomas Hendricks by only 961 votes.
Under the original constitution of 1816, the state held gubernatorial elections every three years. The first election was held before statehood was approved, in August 1816. Until the constitution was replaced in 1851, elections were held in October, and winners took office in December.[1]
The election of 1816 pitted Congressman Jonathan Jennings against the incumbent territorial Governor Thomas Posey. Jennings was leader of the anti-slavery and anti-governor faction which dominated the Indiana in its late territorial period. He served as president of the state constitutional convention two month before the August election where he was nominated to run for governor. Posey by contrast was the leader of the pro-slavery faction which had been marginalized following the 1809 division of the Indiana Territory, cutting the faction off from much of its supporters. Posey was unpopular in the territory because of his support for slavery. The territorial legislature had considerable resentment toward him because of his refusal to reside at the territorial capital, requiring all communications between the legislature and governor to be conducted by courier. Both Posey and Jennings were nominally Democratic-Republicans.
There was little active campaigning during the election. Jennings circulated handbills touting his success in helping Indiana achieve statehood, and pointing out Posey's opposition to statehood. Jennings had won multiple statewide election in the past, while Posey had been appointed to his position and didn't have a substantial base of support within the state, leading Jennings to easily win the election
During the 1819 election former Lieutenant Governor of IndianaChristopher Harrison opposed Jennings for his seat. Harrison had resigned from office a year earlier after a dispute with Jennings. Jennings had accepted a commission from the President of the United States to negotiate a treaty with Native American tribes in central Indiana. The constitution prevented Jennings from accepting a commission and impeachment proceedings were started against him in the Indiana House of Representatives. Harrison was already serving as acting-governor when the events transpired and refused to step down from his position when Jennings returned. The legislature eventually sided with Jennings and Harrison resigned from office in show of protest.
The events carried over into the election and Harrison ran against Jennings on the issue. He claimed the governor had forfeited his office when he accepted the commission. Jennings denied the allegations and instead campaigned on the state's financial difficulties. He promised to serve without a salary if he was elected. Harrison focused on his single issue and failed to put together a broader platform. Jennings political network proved superior, and he easily won reelection to office.
The 1822 election is unique in Indiana history as the only time a candidate ran unopposed. Jennings' personal finances had been hurt by his promise to accept to salary necessitating his need to leave office as governor. He and Hendricks were the leading political men of the state and agreed to change position. Hendricks would run for Jennings seat as governor and Jennings would run for Hendricks seat in Congress. As leaders of the only political party in the state they both were able to prevent any opposition candidate from entering the race against them. Hendricks won the engineered election.
The election of 1825 pitted incumbent governor James B. Ray against Chief Justice of the Indiana Supreme CourtIssaac Blackford. Ray had became governor following the resignation of Hendricks in 1823. The Democratic Republican Party had generally collapsed in the years before the election and the Whig Party and Democratic Party where growing to take its place. The Whigs nominated Blackford in convention without his permission, but he accepted the nomination on the condition that he not be required to campaign. He believed campaigning was not compatible with his position on the court. Ray refused to align with either party and ran as an independent.
Blackford was well educated and highly respected in the state. Ray by contrast was a poorly educated populist with a reputation for rash behavior. Blackford and his allies charged that Ray was "pompous, poorly educated, and ill-equipped for the job." Ray countered with arguments against party politics and warned that allowing two political parties to gain power would cause turmoil. Ray succeeded in being reelected and defeated Blackford in the election.
The 1828 election was the first in which multiple organized parties fielded candidates. It heralded the end of the era of personal politics which had dominated in the first decade of the state's history. The election campaign was dominated by a scandal and Ray's declining popularity. He narrowly avoided impeachment in 1826 and failed to reorganize the state code at the request of the General Assembly, recieving a rebuke from the assembly. He was accused of taking bribes from Native American tribes in exhange for special treatment by his politcal opponents. All of these issues were brought up by his opponents in the election.
This Whigs fields state Senator Isreal T. Branby to oppose Ray. The Democrats courted Ray in hopes that he would join their party and be their nominee. Ray made a secret agreement with them to accept their nomination. He was however attempting a politcal manueaver to keep them from fielding their own candidate and gain their support in the election. In an interview with a Whig Party he commented that the Democrats were an "outrageous, violent faction." His intention was to again denounce party politics. When Democrats became aware of his statement, they were outraged an fielded their own candidate, Harbin H. Moore. They published the communication between Ray and their party in which he secreted accepted their party's nomination. The revelation caused an uproar across the state and further harmed Ray's popularity. Despite the setbacks we one the election by a plurarilty with only 39% of the vote.
During the later years of the Ray administration internal improvements became the major political debate. Ray had been blocking attempts for large scale canal construction and favored railroad construction. The 1831 election focused on the same topic. The Whigs nominated state Noah Noble, a commissioner overseeing construction of the Michigan Road. Noble's platform was based on his desire for additional internal improvement in the state and was closely tied to the Whig Party's national agenda. The Democrat's nominated James G. Read, a tax receiver who worked for the United States Department of the Treasury. Independent Milton Sapp entered the race hoping to win support from people in the state who remained opposed to organized political parties.
All three candidates put forward plans for internal improvements. During the summer campaigning months, the candidates began accusing each other of being ineligible to run for office. Noble's commission was partially funded by the federal government and Reed worked directly for the treasury. The state constitution forbade any state office holder from holding "any lucrative office" in the federal government. Both men agreed to leave their federal position if elected. Ultimately the superior Whig Party organization proved key an Noble won by plurality.
The 1834 election again pitted Noble against Reed for a second time. Noble touted the internal improvement advances made during his administration, including the creation of the Bank of Indiana. Reed countered with a personal attack against Noble hoping to stir up the anti-slavery sentiment in the state. Noble inherited his deceased father's Kentucky estate during the election which he proceeded to sell, including the estate's slaves. Reed exposed the sale and labeled Noble as pro-slavery. The revelation had a profound effect among the Quaker communities costing Noble the support in the southeastern part of the state. Superior Whig Party organization again proved key and Noble won a decisive victory securing his reelection.
In 1836 the state government enacted the Mammoth Internal Improvement Act putting state millions of dollars in debt and beginning construction of a vast network of canals, railroads, and turnpikes. Within a year the projects had spent all their funds, but none had enough to complete their project. The Panic of 1837 led to more trouble for the state's rapidly deteriorating financial situation. The Whigs nominated Noble's Lieutenant Governor William Wallace to run for office and the Democrats nominated John Durmount.
The dire financial situation of the state government was not widely known and the election focused primarily the candidates plans to restart construction. Durmount criticized the Whigs and blamed them for the stopping work on the internal improvements. Wallace promised to restart the projects and touted the success of the projects so far completed. He was a decisive electoral victory over Durmount.
By 1840 the impending bankruptcy of the state government had became a public issue. The Whig Party refused to renominate Wallace and instead nominated Samuel Bigger, a judge on the state circuit court and a former speaking of the Indiana House of Representatives. He had no involvement in the internal improvement debacle and the Whigs hopes to distance themselves from the disaster. The Democrats nominated Congressman Tilghman Howard. The Liberty Party made its first showing in the state during the election with candidate James Duncan.
The central topic of the election was the financial crisis. Both candidates offered solutions on how to pay for the debt. Bigger's plan to sell some of the public works and use to proceeds to pay on the debt received the most acceptance. The events of the territory however were overshadowed by the popular Whigs Presidential Candidate, former Governor William Henry Harrison. He drew a large number of Whigs to the polls helping Bigger secure an electoral win.
The State of Indiana became insolvent in July 1841. Whigs passed a tax reform that increased tax rates by 300%, but public outcry caused them to repeal them shortly thereafter. The state had negotiated a liquidation of most of its public works, but the remaining proved to be still more than the state could pay. That issue was the primary debate during the 1843 campaign.
The Democrats nominated James Whitcomb, and the Whigs nominated Bigger to run for a second term. Whitcomb was among the few men in the state legislature who had spoken out against the internal improvement bill that led to the debacle. The Liberty Party had made significant inroads among the large Quaker community in the state and nominated Eliza Demming. The campaign quickly turned negative as Whitcomb pointed out his objections to the internal improvement bill before it was passed and how his concerns had come to fruition and ruined the states finances. Bigger made a remark in one speech stating he was unsure if a Methodist would be educationally qualified to serve in the board of the Presbyterian dominated Indiana University. Whitcomb, a Methodist, picked up on the rhetoric and painted Bigger as an anti-Methodist. Methodists were the largest denomination in the state and their turnout proved key in helping Whitcomb win the election.
In 1846 Whitcomb ran for reelection. He touted his success extricating state from its financial situation; the state had repudiated its debt. Whitcomb was pursuing negotiating with the states creditors for a reduction of debt through bankruptcy. which he had accomplished by liquidating all of the state's public works and devaluing state bonds. The Whigs nominated state senator Joseph Marshall and the Liberty Party Stephen Stevens. He won reelection.
During the election of 1849 Whigs fielded John Matson and Democrats fielded Congressman Joseph A. Wright. Indiana, like the rest of the nation, was caught up in the issues that were leading towards the American Civil War. The state Whig Party was still suffering from the blame of the state's recent bankruptcy and was in the early stages of breaking up. Disaffected Whigs and anti-slavery men had began the Free Soil Party who fielded former Whig Congressman James H. Craven as a candidate. The Indiana Democratic Party was beginning a split that would worsen in coming years. Control of the state party was being challenged by pro-slavery Jesse D. Bright. Wright was in the anti-slavery faction of the party lead by incumbent Governor Whitcomb; Whitcomb has backed Wright's bid for the United States Senate. In exchange Whitcomb used his influence to help Wright secure the party's nomination to run for governor.
The two central debates of the campaign was the recent state bankruptcy, as each party tried to show how the other party was at fault in causing it. The other issue was slavery; each party tried to show how it was the best party to prevent slavery from entering Indiana and the rest of the western territories. Also on the ballot that year was the new Constitution of Indiana. Each section of the constitution was presented to the voters who could vote up or down on each section. The majority of the constitution was approved which would later have significant impact on the state government. Citing his party's success in getting the state free of its massive debts, Wright played on his party's strength in the Southern United States to show how Democrats were in a better position to preserve the status quo of national politics and prevent the spread of slavery. Wright won the election over Matson and Cravens.
In 1851, Indiana's second and current constitution, which banned governors from serving consecutive terms and lengthened terms to four years, went into effect. Elections since then have been held on Election Day in November during years divisible by four, concurrent with presidential elections.[1]
In the 1852 election Wright ran for reelection, the last governor who would be permitted to do so for over a century. Bright attempted to drag out the Democrat State Convention proceedings and prevent Wright from securing the nomination. Wright was able to overcome the opposition and secure the nomination. The Whigs put forward Nicholas McCarty and the Free Soilers put forward Cravens for a second time.
Wright had taken a populist position on many issues, most notably his opposition to the Bank of Indiana. McCarty supported the continuation of the bank's state monopoly. Wright's opponents argued that he was ineligible to run for a second term, because the new constitution prevented governor's from serving consecutive terms, but a court ruling favored Wright and stated that because his previous term was under the old constitution, it could not be counted. Although strongly disliked by many other elected officials of both parties, Wright remained popular among the public and won a decisive victory over his opponents.
In the 1856 election, at the Democratic Party convention, the pro-slavery faction of the party took control, expelling every delegate who refused to support the Kansas-Nebraska Act, including former governor Wright. The situation creating a bitter resentment between the new party leadership and the expelled members who left taking their supporters to the opposition party. With the backing of party leader Jesse Bright, they nominated Lieutenant Governor, and former Speaker of the House, Ashbel P. Willard to run for office.
The Whig party had collapsed in the preceding years, but a new opposition party made up of disaffected Democrats and former Whigs known as the Know-Nothings fielded Oliver P. Morton as a candidate. Morton had been among the Democrats expelled from their party by Bright and Willard.
The state was, like the nation as a whole, splitting along a north and south line over the issue of slavery. Northern and central state residents where primarily descendants of the northern immigrants and supported the Know-Nothings, while the southern residents, who were mostly descended from southern immigrants supported the Democrats. The election focused almost exclusively on national issues. Papers referred to the election as the "Battle of the Giants", as it pitted the state's two foremost popular political figures against each other. The election was one of the most divisive in state history, with candidates ant their supporters launching personal attacks against each other and occasional outbreaks of violence occurring at political rallies. Willard ultimately won election by six thousand votes, but the divided legislature was unable to even pass a budget, preventing either party from making progress on their agendas.
The Know-Nothing Party collapsed and was replaced by the state Republican Party in 1858. At the state party convention, Henry Smith Lane opposed Oliver P. Morton for the nomination. The party decided to nominate Lane as the less controversial of the two candidates and in recognition of his instrumental part in the establishment of the national Republican Party. Lane had been one of the founding members of the party and served as President of the First Republican National Convention. His fame arose from his battle with Willard and organizing the state Know-Nothing party to lock up the General Assembly and prevent Indiana from sending Democrat Senators to the United States Congress. As part of the deal to gain the nomination, Lane agreed to accept Morton as a running mate and to resign from office as soon as the General Assembly would elect him to the United States Senate. Lane received a personal endorsement from Abraham Lincoln after using his influence to help Lincoln secure the Republican nomination for President.
The Democratic Party was in the midst of collapse. The party leadership continued to purge out members who refused to support the South's right to hold slaves. At their convention, Thomas Hendricks was nominated. Hendricks was a prominent debater, leading Lane to limit the number of debates to one in Evansville, Indianapolis, and Fort Wayne. Lane however was a popular orator and delivered speeches around the state on a tour with Hendricks. The two would not address each other directly, but take turns speaking to the crowds. Lane won the election by over 10,000 votes, was elected to the United States Senate two days after entering office, and resigned as he previously agreed to do so with Morton.
The mid-American Civil War election of 1864 continued the trend of divisive elections that had began a decade earlier. Morton had been actively suppressing the state Democratic Party during the war, ordering the arrest of political opponents on suspicions of disloyalty, shutting down publications that printed questionably materiel, he worked with Republican legislators too prevent the General Assembly from meeting for two years, and was running the state government on illegally obtained credit. Because the state constitution prevented a governor from serving more than four years in any eight year period, constitutionally Morton was ineligible to run for reelection, however, his party nominated him anyway and he was able to prevent the opposition party from challenging his right to run in the courts.
Democrats were furious with the treatment they received from Morton and calling him an "tyrant" and "under-handed mobster". During their state convention they nominated Congressman Joseph McDonald to challenge Morton. Morton, attempting to prevent the Democrats from organizing a platform, broke up the state Democratic Convention with the military in an event known as the Battle of Pogue's Run. Trains were prevented from entering Indianapolis, delegates were arrested or detained, and their weapons confiscated. Morton claimed the convention intended to start an insurrection in the state, and that he was merely attempting to disarm them before they could cause a stir.
The campaign was bitter, and Morton thought it unlikely he would win. He refused to debate his opponent and worked with President Lincoln to have many military units transported by train to the state to vote on his behalf. His tactics proved successful and he won the election by over 20,000 votes.
The first post-war election of 1868 was calmer than those in the preceding decade. Morton had resigned from office after being elected to the United States Senate, and the Republican Party nominated his successor, incumbent governor Conrad Baker to run for election. The Democrats nominated Thomas Hendricks, the nephew of former Governor William Hendricks, to run for office. Hendricks had maintained his popularity throughout the war period despite his opposition to Morton, and was the leading Democrat politician in the state.
The election debate centered around assistance programs to help veterans and victims of the recent war. Baker had already established a track record during his two years as governor for helping the veterans, and proposed the creation of facilities to care for disabled veterans and people widowed and orphaned by the war. Baker also put forward plans to create Purdue University and improve the state educational system. Hendricks countered with plans of his own and tried to tie Baker to Morton. The plan backfired though as Morton remained very popular in the state, still Baker won the election by on 961 votes, the narrowest victory in state history.
The 1872 election between former United States Senator, Democrat Thomas Hendricks, and Republican Congressman Thomas Browne, was the among the closest in state history. Hendricks, who later became Vice President of the United States narrowly won the election, becoming the first Democrat to be elected state governor in the northern United States.
The election of 1876 between Republican Benjamin Harrison, future President of the United States, Congressman James D. Williams, and Greenback Party candidate Anson Wolcott. The election focused mostly on the candidates position on the national monetary policy. Williams had been in favor of inflating the national currency during his time in Congress, but switched to a non-inflation position during the campaign. Harrison strongly opposed inflation, while Wolcott supported it. Fearing he would split the vote, Wolcot withdrew from the election on October 5 and endorsed Williams.[22]
Williams, the only farmer ever elected governor and a long-time legislator, touted his rural lifestyle and presented himself as a man of the people, contrasting himself to Harrison as a wealthy insider, the son of a Congressman and grandson of Presidet William Henry Harrison. Harrison ultimatly lost the election to William, who at age sixty-eight became the oldest man to be elected governor.
Just prior to the election of 1880, incumbent Governor Williams died in office and succeeded by Isaac Gray. Gray won the Democratic nomination to run for Lieutenant Governor again on a ticket with Congressman Franklin Landers. Republicans nominated Albert G. Porter, who was Comptroller of the United States Treasury in the Presidential administration of Rutherford B. Hayes. Porter was living in Washington DC and was nominated without his knowledge and reluctantly accepted.
One of the most notable thing about the campaign was Porter's sudden change in attire. In Washington he was well known for his style and manner of dress, but upon accepting the nomination he began dressing like a farmer, including wearing a straw hat. The campaign was "vigorous", and Porter traveled to all but five of the state's counties to stump and deliver speeches . Because he had supported the strikers in the Great Railroad Strike of 1877, he was able to gain the endorsement of the Knights of Labor, who turned out a large labor vote in his favor. Porter narrowly won the election over the incumbent by about seven thousand votes. He was the first Republican to win the governorship in twelve years, and along with a strong Republican majority elected to the Indiana General Assembly.
Former Governor Issac Gray was nominated to run as the Democratic candidate for Governor in 1884. The Republicans nominated Congressman William Caulkins. The election focused primarily on the issues of the day, currency and inflation. The Prohibition party made its first showing in a state gubernatorial election. Gray won the election by plurality.
In 1888, Benjamin Harrison was running for President of the United States, helping shift the state vote to the Republicans. Republicans nominated Congressman and American Civil War General Alvin P. Hovey to run for governor. Hovey was a reluctant candidate who had refused to accept an 1872 nomination to run. The Democratic Party nominated Congressman Courtland C. Matson. Hovey campaigned on bringing an end to the vigilante justice that had became common in parts of the state by clamping down on the white cap organizations operating in the state, and promising to take a tough stance on crime in the wake of the Reno Gang who had who been freely robbing the communities of southern Indiana. Hovey narrowly defeated Matson, winning by plurality.
Governor Hovey died in office and was succeeded by Ira Joy Chase, a minister, American Civil War veteran, and founding member and former leader of the Grand Army of the Republic. The Republican leadership attempted to prevent his nomination as candidate for governor because of his pro-labor and prohibition positions, but he was able to successfully win at the caucus. He delivered speeches at his many campaign stops where he would also preach a sermon later in the day at one of the area churches. His sermons were often firebrand and prohibitionist. Some of the doctrines he taught caused Methodist and Presbyterian churches, the two largest churches in the state, to urge their members to vote against him.
The Democratic Party nominated Indiana Secretary of State Claude Matthews to run for governor. He focused his campaign primarily on addressing the depressed farm prices and farmers continued support of inflation, while ignoring the more contentious issues like prohibition. Matthews won the election by a narrow plurality.
^Election return summary for all Indiana gubernatorial elections can be found in: Congressional Quarterly's Guide to U.S. Elections. CQ Press. p. 1119. ISBN1568026021.
