Maurice Clifford Townsend (August 11, 1884 – November 11, 1954) was an American politician and the 35th governor of the U.S. state of Indiana from 1937 to 1941.

[citation needed] After completing high school in 1901, Townsend worked as a teamster in the oil fields during the Indiana Gas Boom, and later in a factory.

Townsend's experience made Paul V. McNutt consider him as a candidate for Lieutenant Governor and helped him to win the nomination at the state's Democratic convention in 1932.

Previously, the position received only required active work during legislative sessions, which amounted to sixty days every two years.

[3] The position was granted significantly more power after the passage of the 1932 Executive Reorganization Act when the lieutenant-governor was made head of the state's agricultural department and assigning him other administrative duties.

[citation needed] Townsend's mother placed his name in nomination for governor at the 1936 Democratic state convention.

In the early stages, he coordinated evacuation efforts, routing all available trains to carry people to safety as flood waters rose.

Violence broke out in Anderson and the National Guard was called out by Townsend to restore order and protect the factory.

Only a few pieces of legislation were passed: the driver's license examination became required by law, pensions for the state's firemen were approved, free textbooks were authorized for public schools and the state ordered school buses to be painted yellow for safety's sake—this last starting a nationwide trend.

[8] After Townsend left office, he extricated himself from internal politics of the state party and did not involve himself in the selection of his successor.

[8] He died November 11, 1954, from a heart attack, and was buried at the Odd Fellows Cemetery in Hartford City, Indiana.