Indiana Governor
Employer / Organization
Next Election
Nov 03, 2020
Filing Window
Jan 08, 2020 - Jun 30, 2020
Description
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. 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. Other duties and privileges of the office include: Periodically addressing the General Assembly concerning the State of the State and making recommendations for prudent courses of action, Requiring written information from any administrative officer of the state concerning their job and the conditions of their institutions, Granting pardons and reprieves, in consultation with a special legislative commission when called for by law. The privilege of granting pardons does not grant to impeachment or treason, though the Governor may suspend the execution of a treason sentence until the legislative sits again and reviews the case. The Governor is also in charge of filling vacancies in the Courts and in other state offices when the manner for doing so is not otherwise set forth in law, and, when the General Assembly is in recess, making any vacancy appointments that would normally be the prerogative of the legislature, and reconvening the General Assembly at a place other than its normal chambers for extraordinary reasons. The salary for this position is $111,688/year.