List of governors of Rhode Island

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The governor of Rhode Island is the head of government of Rhode Island and serves as commander-in-chief of the U.S. state's Army National Guard and Air National Guard. The current governor is Dan McKee.

Style
Status
Term lengthFour years, renewable once consecutively
Inaugural holderNicholas Cooke
Quick facts Governor of Rhode Island, Style ...
Governor of Rhode Island
Seal of the governor
Flag of the governor
Incumbent
Dan McKee
since March 2, 2021
Style
Status
Term lengthFour years, renewable once consecutively
Inaugural holderNicholas Cooke
FormationNovember 7, 1775
(250 years ago) (1775-11-07)
SuccessionLine of succession
DeputyLieutenant Governor of Rhode Island
Salary$128,210 (2013)[1]
Websitegovernor.ri.gov
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Governors

For the period before independence, see List of colonial governors of Rhode Island.

Rhode Island was one of the original Thirteen Colonies and was admitted as a state on May 29, 1790.[2] Before it declared its independence, Rhode Island was a colony of the Kingdom of Great Britain.

The state initially continued operating under the provisions of its 1663 charter, which simply said that the governor and deputy-governor would be elected from time to time. The 1842 constitution formalized the terms for governor and lieutenant governor to be one year, beginning on the first Tuesday of May after the election.[3] Amendment XVI, taking effect in 1911, changed the term to be two years beginning from the first Tuesday in the January after the election.[4] Terms were lengthened to four years in 1992, but governors were now limited to succeeding themselves only once.[5] A former governor can run again after a four year break. Should the office of governor be vacant, the lieutenant governor becomes governor.[6] The governor and the lieutenant governor are not officially elected on the same ticket.

More information No., Governor ...
Governors of the State of Rhode Island
No. Governor Term in office Party Election Lt. Governor[a][b]
1   Nicholas Cooke
(1717–1782)
[7]		 November 7, 1775[c]
–
May 6, 1778
(did not run)		 None[9] 1776   William Bradford
1777
2 William Greene
(1731–1809)
[10]		 May 6, 1778[11]
–
May 3, 1786
(lost election)		 None[9] 1778 Jabez Bowen
1779
1780 William West
1781 Jabez Bowen
1782
1783
1784
1785
3 John Collins
(1717–1795)
[12][13]		 May 3, 1786[14]
–
May 5, 1790
(lost election)		 None[9] 1786 Daniel Owen
1787
1788
1789
4 Arthur Fenner
(1745–1805)
[15][16]		 May 5, 1790[17]
–
October 15, 1805
(died in office)		 Country 1790 Samuel J. Potter
1791
1792
1793
1794
1795
1796
1797
1798
1799 George Brown
1800 Samuel J. Potter
1801
1802
1803 Paul Mumford
(died July 20, 1805)
1804
1805
Vacant
5 Henry Smith
(1766–1818)
[18][19]		 October 15, 1805[18]
–
May 7, 1806
(lost election)		 Democratic-
Republican[d]		 Succeeded from
president of
the Senate[e]
6 Isaac Wilbour
(1763–1837)
[18][20]		 May 7, 1806[21]
–
May 6, 1807
(successor took office)[f]		 Democratic-
Republican[22]		 1806[g] Acting as governor
7 James Fenner
(1771–1846)
[24][25]		 May 6, 1807[11]
–
May 1, 1811
(lost election)		 Democratic-
Republican[11]		 1807 Constant Taber
1808 Simeon Martin
1809
1810 Isaac Wilbour
8 William Jones
(1753–1822)
[26][27]		 May 1, 1811[26]
–
May 7, 1817
(lost election)		 Federalist[11] 1811 Simeon Martin
1812
1813
1814
1815
1816 Jeremiah Thurston
9 Nehemiah R. Knight
(1780–1854)
[28][29]		 May 7, 1817[30]
–
January 9, 1821
(resigned)[h]		 Democratic-
Republican[11]		 1817 Edward Wilcox
1818
1819
1820
10 Edward Wilcox
(unknown)
[33]		 January 9, 1821[11]
–
May 2, 1821
(did not run)		 Democratic-
Republican[11]		 Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor[i]		 Vacant
11 William C. Gibbs
(1787–1871)
[34][35]		 May 2, 1821[36]
–
May 5, 1824
(did not run)		 Democratic-
Republican[11]		 1821 Caleb Earle
1822
1823
12 James Fenner
(1771–1846)
[24][25]		 May 5, 1824[37]
–
May 4, 1831
(lost election)		 Democratic-
Republican[11]		 1824 Charles Collins
1825
1826
1827
1828
1829
1830
13 Lemuel H. Arnold
(1792–1852)
[38][39]		 May 4, 1831[40]
–
May 1, 1833
(lost election)		 National
Republican[11]		 1831
1832[j]
14 John Brown Francis
(1791–1864)
[41][42]		 May 1, 1833[43]
–
May 2, 1838
(lost election)		 Democratic-
Republican/
Anti-Masonic[44]		 1833 Jeffrey Hazard
Democratic[44] 1834
1835 George Engs
1836 Jeffrey Hazard
1837 Benjamin Babock Thurston
15 William Sprague III
(1799–1856)
[45][46]		 May 2, 1838[47]
–
May 2, 1839
(lost election)		 Whig[11] 1838 Joseph Childs
16 Samuel Ward King
(1786–1851)
[48][49]		 May 2, 1839[50]
–
May 2, 1843
(did not run)[48]		 Whig[11] 1839[k] Byron Diman
1840
1841
1842[l]
17 James Fenner
(1771–1846)
[24][25]		 May 2, 1843[51]
–
May 6, 1845
(lost election)		 Law and Order[11] 1843
1844
18 Charles Jackson
(1797–1876)
[52][53]		 May 6, 1845[54]
–
May 6, 1846
(lost election)		 Liberation[11] 1845
19 Byron Diman
(1795–1865)
[55][56]		 May 6, 1846[57]
–
May 4, 1847
(did not run)[55]		 Law and Order[11] 1846 Elisha Harris
20 Elisha Harris
(1791–1861)
[58][59]		 May 4, 1847[60]
–
May 1, 1849
(did not run)		 Whig[11] 1847 Edward W. Lawton
1848
21 Henry B. Anthony
(1815–1884)
[61][62]		 May 1, 1849[63]
–
May 6, 1851
(did not run)		 Whig[11] 1849 Thomas Whipple
1850
22 Philip Allen
(1785–1865)
[64][65]		 May 6, 1851[66]
–
July 20, 1853
(resigned)[m]		 Democratic[11] 1851 William Beach Lawrence
1852 Samuel G. Arnold
1853 Francis M. Dimond
23 Francis M. Dimond
(1796–1859)
[67][68]		 July 20, 1853[69]
–
May 2, 1854
(lost election)		 Democratic[11] Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor		 Vacant
24 William W. Hoppin
(1807–1890)
[70][71]		 May 2, 1854[72]
–
May 26, 1857
(did not run)[70]		 Whig[n] 1854 John J. Reynolds
1855 Anderson C. Rose
1856 Nicholas Brown III
25 Elisha Dyer
(1811–1890)
[76][77]		 May 26, 1857[78]
–
May 31, 1859
(did not run)		 Republican[11] 1857 Thomas G. Turner
1858
26 Thomas G. Turner
(1810–1875)
[79][80]		 May 31, 1859[81]
–
May 29, 1860
(lost nomination)[o]		 Republican[11] 1859 Isaac Saunders
27 William Sprague IV
(1830–1915)
[82][83]		 May 29, 1860[84]
–
March 3, 1863
(resigned)[p]		 Democratic[q] 1860 J. Russell Bullock
1861
1862 Samuel G. Arnold
(resigned December 1, 1862)
Vacant
28 William C. Cozzens
(1811–1876)
[85][86]		 March 3, 1863[87]
–
May 26, 1863
(lost election)		 Democratic[11] Succeeded from
president of
the Senate[r]
29 James Y. Smith
(1809–1876)
[88][89]		 May 26, 1863[11]
–
May 29, 1866
(did not run)[88]		 Republican[11] 1863 Seth Padelford
1864
1865 Duncan Pell
30 Ambrose Burnside
(1824–1881)
[90][91]		 May 29, 1866[92]
–
May 25, 1869
(did not run)[90]		 Republican[11] 1866 William Greene
1867
1868 Pardon Stevens
31 Seth Padelford
(1807–1878)
[93][94]		 May 25, 1869[95]
–
May 27, 1873
(did not run)		 Republican[11] 1869
1870
1871
1872 Charles Cutler
32 Henry Howard
(1826–1905)
[96][97]		 May 27, 1873[98]
–
May 25, 1875
(did not run)[96]		 Republican[s] 1873 Charles C. Van Zandt
1874
33 Henry Lippitt
(1818–1891)
[99][100]		 May 25, 1875[101]
–
May 29, 1877
(did not run)		 Republican[11] 1875 Henry Tillinghast Sisson
1876
34 Charles C. Van Zandt
(1830–1894)
[102][103]		 May 29, 1877[104]
–
May 25, 1880
(did not run)[102]		 Republican[t] 1877 Albert Howard
1878
1879
35 Alfred H. Littlefield
(1829–1893)
[105][106]		 May 25, 1880[107]
–
May 29, 1883
(did not run)		 Republican[11] 1880 Henry Fay
1881
1882
36 Augustus O. Bourn
(1834–1925)
[108][109]		 May 29, 1883[110]
–
May 26, 1885
(did not run)		 Republican[11] 1883 Oscar Rathbun
1884
37 George P. Wetmore
(1846–1921)
[111][112]		 May 26, 1885[113]
–
May 31, 1887
(lost election)		 Republican[11] 1885 Lucius B. Darling
1886
38 John W. Davis
(1826–1907)
[114][115]		 May 31, 1887[116]
–
May 29, 1888
(lost election)		 Democratic[11] 1887 Samuel R. Honey
39 Royal C. Taft
(1823–1912)
[117][118]		 May 29, 1888[119]
–
May 28, 1889
(did not run)[117]		 Republican[11] 1888 Enos Lapham
40 Herbert W. Ladd
(1843–1913)
[120][121]		 May 28, 1889[122]
–
May 27, 1890
(lost election)		 Republican[11] 1889 Daniel Littlefield
41 John W. Davis
(1826–1907)
[114][115]		 May 27, 1890[123]
–
May 26, 1891
(lost election)		 Democratic[11] 1890 William T. C. Wardwell
42 Herbert W. Ladd
(1843–1913)
[120][121]		 May 26, 1891[124]
–
May 31, 1892
(did not run)		 Republican[11] 1891 Henry A. Stearns
43 Daniel Russell Brown
(1848–1919)
[125][126]		 May 31, 1892[127]
–
May 29, 1895
(did not run)		 Republican[11] 1892 Melville Bull
1893
1894 Edwin Allen
44 Charles W. Lippitt
(1846–1924)
[128][129]		 May 29, 1895[130]
–
May 25, 1897
(did not run)		 Republican[11] 1895
1896
45 Elisha Dyer Jr.
(1839–1906)
[131][132]		 May 25, 1897[133]
–
May 29, 1900
(did not run)[131]		 Republican[11] 1897 Aram J. Pothier
1898 William Gregory
1899
46 William Gregory
(1849–1901)
[134][135]		 May 29, 1900[136]
–
December 16, 1901
(died in office)		 Republican[11] 1900 Charles D. Kimball
47 Charles D. Kimball
(1859–1930)
[137][138]		 December 16, 1901[139]
–
January 6, 1903
(lost election)		 Republican[11] Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor		 Vacant
1901[u]
George L. Shepley
(elected February 18, 1902)
48 Lucius F. C. Garvin
(1841–1922)
[140][141]		 January 6, 1903[142]
–
January 3, 1905
(lost election)		 Democratic[11] 1902 Adelard Archambault
1903 George H. Utter
49 George H. Utter
(1854–1912)
[143][144]		 January 3, 1905[145]
–
January 1, 1907
(lost election)		 Republican[11] 1904 Frederick H. Jackson
1905
50 James H. Higgins
(1876–1927)
[146][147]		 January 1, 1907[148]
–
January 5, 1909
(did not run)[146]		 Democratic[11] 1906
1907 Ralph Watrous
51 Aram J. Pothier
(1854–1928)
[149][150]		 January 5, 1909[151]
–
January 5, 1915
(did not run)[149]		 Republican[11] 1908 Arthur W. Dennis
1909 Emery J. San Souci
1910
1911
1912 Roswell B. Burchard
52 Robert Livingston Beeckman
(1866–1935)
[152][153]		 January 5, 1915[154]
–
January 4, 1921
(did not run)		 Republican[11] 1914 Emery J. San Souci
1916
1918
53 Emery J. San Souci
(1857–1936)
[155][156]		 January 4, 1921[157]
–
January 2, 1923
(lost nomination)[v]		 Republican[11] 1920 Harold Gross
54 William S. Flynn
(1885–1966)
[159][160]		 January 2, 1923[161]
–
January 6, 1925
(did not run)[w]		 Democratic[11] 1922 Felix A. Toupin
55 Aram J. Pothier
(1854–1928)
[149][150]		 January 6, 1925[162]
–
February 4, 1928
(died in office)		 Republican[11] 1924 Nathaniel W. Smith
1926 Norman S. Case
56 Norman S. Case
(1888–1967)
[163][164]		 February 4, 1928[165]
–
January 3, 1933
(lost election)		 Republican[11] Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor		 Vacant
1928 James G. Connelly
1930
57 Theodore F. Green
(1867–1966)
[166][167]		 January 3, 1933[168]
–
January 5, 1937
(did not run)[x]		 Democratic[11] 1932 Robert E. Quinn
1934
58 Robert E. Quinn
(1894–1975)
[169][170]		 January 5, 1937[171]
–
January 3, 1939
(lost election)		 Democratic[11] 1936 Raymond E. Jordan
59 William Henry Vanderbilt III
(1901–1981)
[172][173]		 January 3, 1939[174]
–
January 7, 1941
(lost election)		 Republican[11] 1938 James O. McManus
60 J. Howard McGrath
(1903–1966)
[175][176]		 January 7, 1941[177]
–
October 6, 1945
(resigned)[y]		 Democratic[11] 1940 Louis W. Cappelli
1942
1944 John Pastore
61 John Pastore
(1907–2000)
[178][179]		 October 6, 1945[180]
–
December 19, 1950
(resigned)[z]		 Democratic[11] Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor		 John S. McKiernan
1946
1948
62 John S. McKiernan
(1911–1997)
[181][182]		 December 19, 1950[183]
–
January 2, 1951
(successor took office)		 Democratic[11] Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor		 Vacant
63 Dennis J. Roberts
(1903–1994)
[184][185]		 January 2, 1951[186]
–
January 6, 1959
(lost election)		 Democratic[11] 1950 John S. McKiernan
1952
1954
1956 Armand H. Cote
64 Christopher Del Sesto
(1907–1973)
[187][188]		 January 6, 1959[189]
–
January 3, 1961
(lost election)		 Republican[11] 1958 John A. Notte Jr.
65 John A. Notte Jr.
(1909–1983)
[190][191]		 January 3, 1961[192]
–
January 1, 1963
(lost election)		 Democratic[11] 1960 Edward P. Gallogly
66 John Chafee
(1922–1999)
[193][194]		 January 1, 1963[195]
–
January 7, 1969
(lost election)		 Republican[11] 1962
1964 Giovanni Folcarelli
1966 Joseph O'Donnell Jr.
67 Frank Licht
(1916–1987)
[196][197]		 January 7, 1969[198]
–
January 2, 1973
(did not run)[196]		 Democratic[11] 1968 J. Joseph Garrahy
1970
68 Philip Noel
(b. 1931)
[199][200]		 January 2, 1973[201]
–
January 4, 1977
(did not run)[199]		 Democratic[11] 1972
1974
69 J. Joseph Garrahy
(1930–2012)
[202][203]		 January 4, 1977[204]
–
January 1, 1985
(did not run)		 Democratic[203] 1976 Thomas R. DiLuglio
1978
1980
1982
70 Edward D. DiPrete
(1934–2025)
[205]		 January 1, 1985[206]
–
January 1, 1991
(lost election)		 Republican[205] 1984 Richard A. Licht
1986
1988 Roger N. Begin
71 Bruce Sundlun
(1920–2011)
[207]		 January 1, 1991[208]
–
January 3, 1995
(lost nomination)[aa]		 Democratic[207] 1990
1992 Robert Weygand
72 Lincoln Almond
(1936–2023)
[210]		 January 3, 1995[211]
–
January 7, 2003
(term-limited)[ab]		 Republican[210] 1994
Bernard Jackvony
1998 Charles Fogarty
73 Donald Carcieri
(b. 1942)
[213]		 January 7, 2003[214]
–
January 4, 2011
(term-limited)[ab]		 Republican[213] 2002
2006 Elizabeth H. Roberts
74 Lincoln Chafee
(b. 1953)
[215]		 January 4, 2011[216]
–
January 6, 2015
(did not run)		 Independent[ac] 2010
75 Gina Raimondo
(b. 1971)
[218]		 January 6, 2015
–
March 2, 2021
(resigned)[ad]		 Democratic[218] 2014 Dan McKee
2018
76 Dan McKee
(b. 1951)
[220]		 March 2, 2021[221]
–
Incumbent[ae]		 Democratic[220] Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor		 Sabina Matos
2022
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See also

Notes

  1. [a]
    Office was named Deputy Governor until 1798.
  2. [b]
    Lieutenant governors represented the same party as their governor unless noted.
  3. [c]
    Cooke was deputy governor when colonial governor Joseph Wanton was deposed on November 7, 1775, and was chosen to replace him.[8]
  4. [d]
    Sobel
  5. [e]
    As the office of lieutenant governor was vacant, President of the Senate Smith succeeded to governor.[18]
  6. [f]
    Wilbour was instead elected to the United States House of Representatives.[18]
  7. [g]
    No candidate received a majority of the vote for governor, so Lieutenant Governor-elect Wilbour acted as governor for the term.[23]
  8. [h]
    Knight resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate.[31][32]
  9. [i]
    Very little is known of Wilcox, and he does not appear on most lists of governors, but it is known he was lieutenant governor at the time Knight resigned,[31] and at least one reference specifically states he succeeded Knight.[11]
  10. [j]
    No candidate received a majority of the vote for governor, and four run-offs were attempted during the year but all were similarly deadlocked. Arnold remained as governor, and in January 1833, the state legislature formalized it, permitting him to continue on as governor until the end of the term.[11]
  11. [k]
    No candidate received a majority of the vote for either governor or lieutenant governor, so as First Senator, King served as acting governor for the year.[11]
  12. [l]
    A constitutional convention, without consent from the legislature, convened in 1842 and, on May 2, proclaimed Thomas Wilson Dorr as governor, which led to a brief period of strife known as the Dorr Rebellion.[48]
  13. [m]
    Allen resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate.[64]
  14. [n]
    Glashan[73] and Sobel[70] label Hoppin as a Whig and Maine Law candidate in 1854; Dubin,[74] and Kallenbach[75] label him a Whig and American in 1855, and a Republican and American in 1856.
  15. [o]
    Turner lost the Republican nomination to Seth Padelford.[79]
  16. [p]
    Sprague resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate.[82]
  17. [q]
    Sprague was elected as part of a Democratic and Conservative Republican ticket in 1860,[82] and afterwards as a Union candidate.[73]
  18. [r]
    As the office of lieutenant governor was vacant, President pro tempore of the Senate Cozzens succeeded to governor.[85]
  19. [s]
    Howard represented the Republican and Prohibition parties.[96]
  20. [t]
    Van Zandt represented the Republican and Prohibition parties.[73]
  21. [u]
    Incumbent governor William Gregory was re-elected in November 1901, but died the next month, so Lieutenant Governor Kimball succeeded him.[137]
  22. [v]
    San Souci lost the Republican nomination to Harold Gross.[158]
  23. [w]
    Flynn instead ran unsuccessfully for the United States Senate.[159]
  24. [x]
    Green was instead elected to the United States Senate.[166]
  25. [y]
    McGrath resigned, having been confirmed as Solicitor General of the United States.[175]
  26. [z]
    Pastore resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate.[178]
  27. [aa]
    Sundlun lost the Democratic nomination to Myrth York.[209]
  28. [ab]
    Under a 1992 amendment to the constitution, governors are ineligible to serve consecutively for more than two terms.[212]
  29. [ac]
    Chafee was elected as an independent, but on May 30, 2013, he joined the Democratic Party.[217]
  30. [ad]
    Raimondo resigned, having been confirmed as United States Secretary of Commerce.[219]
  31. [ae]
    McKee's first full term began on January 3, 2023,[222] and will expire on January 5, 2027.

References

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