Historically, the office of Indiana's governor has been a weaker institution relative to the other branches of state government and also when compared to the role of governors of other U.S. states.
During Indiana's territorial period, there was a considerable resentment to the power wielded by the territorial governors, and in response the anti-governor faction, which dominated the constitutional convention, created a weak executive position.
The governor was not given complete authority over the militia, his term was set at three years, and most of his actions could be overridden by the General Assembly.
The position was steadily weakened by the legislature, and his power was limited further by the constitution of 1851.
The governor's authority to choose his own appointments for the state courts was removed, and the ability to appoint his own cabinet was ended.
The cabinet was effectively made independent by making them elected popularly.
The authority to propose budgets was revoked, and serving consecutive terms was banned.
By comparison, the Supreme Court was made almost entirely independent, and the General Assembly assumed many of the powers taken from the governor.

Governors first began to assert their own power during the American Civil War as the General Assembly attempted to remove command of the militia from the governor.
In response, the General Assembly was effectively suppressed, during which time the governor assumed many powers to appoint public officials, hire and remove state employees, and manage state finances.
When the General Assembly reconvened with a majority sympathetic to the governor, he was permitted to continue many of his assumed powers.
In 1889, the General Assembly began to reassert its authority over hiring state employees.
The issued ended when the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the legislature, again returning to it final authority over hiring state employees.
The legislature passed acts in 1895 that removed the last of the governor's authority to appoint anyone to executive positions.

With the onset of the Great Depression in the 1930s, the governors again began to reassert authority.
The Executive Reorganization Act was passed, returning the governor to a considerable level of appointment power.
New state welfare and regulatory agencies were placed directly under the governor's control, greatly expanding his role in running the state and creating many patronage positions.
The legislature responded by trying to create a merit system for public offices, but it was largely unable to effectively enforce it given the new scope of government agencies.
The battle with the governor continued until 1941, when the legislature rescinded the Executive Reorganization Act and replaced it with the State Administration Act, which placed most of the government under the control of elected commissioners and reduced the governor's practical executive authority to commander of the militia and the executor of legislation.
The matter was taken to the Indiana Supreme Court in the case of Tucker v. State.
The court ruled for the first time that the governor was in fact the Chief Executive of the state, and that the legislature could pass no law that infringed upon that right.
The decision was a major shift from previous court decisions and granted governors a legal basis to resist future encroachment on their powers.

During the 1970s, a series of amendments was passed under popular governors that also increased their powers.
The state courts were again made appointive, but selection of the candidates was granted to the court-dominated Indiana Judicial Nominating Commission.
However, the governor was given more control over the process in which he previously had none.
Another amendment removed the ban on consecutive terms, allowing Indiana's first consecutive term governors in over one hundred years.
A third amendment granted the power to prepare a budget to a State Budgetary Agency, which was run by officials appointed by the governor.
The significant authority this gave the governor over the budget was the
Historically, the office of Indiana's governor has been a weaker institution relative to the other branches of state government and also when compared to the role of governors of other U.S. states. During Indiana's territorial period, there was a considerable resentment to the power wielded by the territorial governors, and in response the anti-governor faction, which dominated the constitutional convention, created a weak executive position. The governor was not given complete authority over the militia, his term was set at three years, and most of his actions could be overridden by the General Assembly. The position was steadily weakened by the legislature, and his power was limited further by the constitution of 1851. The governor's authority to choose his own appointments for the state courts was removed, and the ability to appoint his own cabinet was ended. The cabinet was effectively made independent by making them elected popularly. The authority to propose budgets was revoked, and serving consecutive terms was banned. By comparison, the Supreme Court was made almost entirely independent, and the General Assembly assumed many of the powers taken from the governor.
Governors first began to assert their own power during the American Civil War as the General Assembly attempted to remove command of the militia from the governor. In response, the General Assembly was effectively suppressed, during which time the governor assumed many powers to appoint public officials, hire and remove state employees, and manage state finances. When the General Assembly reconvened with a majority sympathetic to the governor, he was permitted to continue many of his assumed powers. In 1889, the General Assembly began to reassert its authority over hiring state employees. The issued ended when the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the legislature, again returning to it final authority over hiring state employees. The legislature passed acts in 1895 that removed the last of the governor's authority to appoint anyone to executive positions.
With the onset of the Great Depression in the 1930s, the governors again began to reassert authority. The Executive Reorganization Act was passed, returning the governor to a considerable level of appointment power. New state welfare and regulatory agencies were placed directly under the governor's control, greatly expanding his role in running the state and creating many patronage positions. The legislature responded by trying to create a merit system for public offices, but it was largely unable to effectively enforce it given the new scope of government agencies. The battle with the governor continued until 1941, when the legislature rescinded the Executive Reorganization Act and replaced it with the State Administration Act, which placed most of the government under the control of elected commissioners and reduced the governor's practical executive authority to commander of the militia and the executor of legislation. The matter was taken to the Indiana Supreme Court in the case of Tucker v. State. The court ruled for the first time that the governor was in fact the Chief Executive of the state, and that the legislature could pass no law that infringed upon that right. The decision was a major shift from previous court decisions and granted governors a legal basis to resist future encroachment on their powers.
During the 1970s, a series of amendments was passed under popular governors that also increased their powers. The state courts were again made appointive, but selection of the candidates was granted to the court-dominated Indiana Judicial Nominating Commission. However, the governor was given more control over the process in which he previously had none. Another amendment removed the ban on consecutive terms, allowing Indiana's first consecutive term governors in over one hundred years. A third amendment granted the power to prepare a budget to a State Budgetary Agency, which was run by officials appointed by the governor. The significant authority this gave the governor over the budget was the 
Governor of Indiana