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List of governors of Rhode Island

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
(249 years ago) (1775-11-07)
SuccessionLine of succession
DeputyLieutenant Governor of Rhode Island
Salary$128,210 (2013)[1]
Websitegovernor.ri.gov

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.

Governors

[edit]
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.

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
— Edward Wilcox
(unknown)
[33] 		January 9, 1821[11]
–
May 2, 1821
(did not run) 		Democratic-
Republican[11] 		Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor[i] 		Vacant
10 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
11 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
12 Lemuel H. Arnold
(1792–1852)
[38][39] 		May 4, 1831[40]
–
May 1, 1833
(lost election) 		National
Republican[11] 		1831
1832[j]
13 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
14 William Sprague III
(1799–1856)
[45][46] 		May 2, 1838[47]
–
May 2, 1839
(lost election) 		Whig[11] 1838 Joseph Childs
15 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]
16 James Fenner
(1771–1846)
[24][25] 		May 2, 1843[51]
–
May 6, 1845
(lost election) 		Law and Order[11] 1843
1844
17 Charles Jackson
(1797–1876)
[52][53] 		May 6, 1845[54]
–
May 6, 1846
(lost election) 		Liberation[11] 1845
18 Byron Diman
(1795–1865)
[55][56] 		May 6, 1846[57]
–
May 4, 1847
(did not run)[55] 		Law and Order[11] 1846 Elisha Harris
19 Elisha Harris
(1791–1861)
[58][59] 		May 4, 1847[60]
–
May 1, 1849
(did not run) 		Whig[11] 1847 Edward W. Lawton
1848
20 Henry B. Anthony
(1815–1884)
[61][62] 		May 1, 1849[63]
–
May 6, 1851
(did not run) 		Whig[11] 1849 Thomas Whipple
1850
21 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
22 Francis M. Dimond
(1796–1859)
[67][68] 		July 20, 1853[69]
–
May 2, 1854
(lost election) 		Democratic[11] Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor 		Vacant
23 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
24 Elisha Dyer
(1811–1890)
[76][77] 		May 26, 1857[78]
–
May 31, 1859
(did not run) 		Republican[11] 1857 Thomas G. Turner
1858
25 Thomas G. Turner
(1810–1875)
[79][80] 		May 31, 1859[81]
–
May 29, 1860
(lost nomination)[o] 		Republican[11] 1859 Isaac Saunders
26 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
27 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]
28 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
29 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
30 Seth Padelford
(1807–1878)
[93][94] 		May 25, 1869[95]
–
May 27, 1873
(did not run) 		Republican[11] 1869
1870
1871
1872 Charles Cutler
31 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
32 Henry Lippitt
(1818–1891)
[99][100] 		May 25, 1875[101]
–
May 29, 1877
(did not run) 		Republican[11] 1875 Henry Tillinghast Sisson
1876
33 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
34 Alfred H. Littlefield
(1829–1893)
[105][106] 		May 25, 1880[107]
–
May 29, 1883
(did not run) 		Republican[11] 1880 Henry Fay
1881
1882
35 Augustus O. Bourn
(1834–1925)
[108][109] 		May 29, 1883[110]
–
May 26, 1885
(did not run) 		Republican[11] 1883 Oscar Rathbun
1884
36 George P. Wetmore
(1846–1921)
[111][112] 		May 26, 1885[113]
–
May 31, 1887
(lost election) 		Republican[11] 1885 Lucius B. Darling
1886
37 John W. Davis
(1826–1907)
[114][115] 		May 31, 1887[116]
–
May 29, 1888
(lost election) 		Democratic[11] 1887 Samuel R. Honey
38 Royal C. Taft
(1823–1912)
[117][118] 		May 29, 1888[119]
–
May 28, 1889
(did not run)[117] 		Republican[11] 1888 Enos Lapham
39 Herbert W. Ladd
(1843–1913)
[120][121] 		May 28, 1889[122]
–
May 27, 1890
(lost election) 		Republican[11] 1889 Daniel Littlefield
40 John W. Davis
(1826–1907)
[114][115] 		May 27, 1890[123]
–
May 26, 1891
(lost election) 		Democratic[11] 1890 William T. C. Wardwell
41 Herbert W. Ladd
(1843–1913)
[120][121] 		May 26, 1891[124]
–
May 31, 1892
(did not run) 		Republican[11] 1891 Henry A. Stearns
42 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
43 Charles W. Lippitt
(1846–1924)
[128][129] 		May 29, 1895[130]
–
May 25, 1897
(did not run) 		Republican[11] 1895
1896
44 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
45 William Gregory
(1849–1901)
[134][135] 		May 29, 1900[136]
–
December 16, 1901
(died in office) 		Republican[11] 1900 Charles D. Kimball
46 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)
47 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
48 George H. Utter
(1854–1912)
[143][144] 		January 3, 1905[145]
–
January 1, 1907
(lost election) 		Republican[11] 1904 Frederick H. Jackson
1905
49 James H. Higgins
(1876–1927)
[146][147] 		January 1, 1907[148]
–
January 5, 1909
(did not run)[146] 		Democratic[11] 1906
1907 Ralph Watrous
50 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 Rosewell Burchard
51 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
52 Emery J. San Souci
(1857–1936)
[155][156] 		January 4, 1921[157]
–
January 2, 1923
(lost nomination)[v] 		Republican[11] 1920 Harold Gross
53 William S. Flynn
(1885–1966)
[159][160] 		January 2, 1923[161]
–
January 6, 1925
(did not run)[w] 		Democratic[11] 1922 Felix A. Toupin
54 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
55 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
56 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
57 Robert E. Quinn
(1894–1975)
[169][170] 		January 5, 1937[171]
–
January 3, 1939
(lost election) 		Democratic[11] 1936 Raymond E. Jordan
58 William Henry Vanderbilt III
(1901–1981)
[172][173] 		January 3, 1939[174]
–
January 7, 1941
(lost election) 		Republican[11] 1938 James O. McManus
59 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
60 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
61 John S. McKiernan
(1911–1997)
[181][182] 		December 19, 1950[183]
–
January 2, 1951
(successor took office) 		Democratic[11] Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor 		Vacant
62 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
63 Christopher Del Sesto
(1907–1973)
[187][188] 		January 6, 1959[189]
–
January 3, 1961
(lost election) 		Republican[11] 1958 John A. Notte Jr.
64 John A. Notte Jr.
(1909–1983)
[190][191] 		January 3, 1961[192]
–
January 1, 1963
(lost election) 		Democratic[11] 1960 Edward P. Gallogly
65 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.
66 Frank Licht
(1916–1987)
[196][197] 		January 7, 1969[198]
–
January 2, 1973
(did not run)[196] 		Democratic[11] 1968 J. Joseph Garrahy
1970
67 Philip Noel
(b. 1931)
[199][200] 		January 2, 1973[201]
–
January 4, 1977
(did not run)[199] 		Democratic[11] 1972
1974
68 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
69 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
70 Bruce Sundlun
(1920–2011)
[207] 		January 1, 1991[208]
–
January 3, 1995
(lost nomination)[aa] 		Democratic[207] 1990
1992 Robert Weygand
71 Lincoln Almond
(1936–2023)
[210] 		January 3, 1995[211]
–
January 7, 2003
(term-limited)[ab] 		Republican[210] 1994
Bernard Jackvony
1998 Charles Fogarty
72 Donald Carcieri
(b. 1942)
[213] 		January 7, 2003[214]
–
January 4, 2011
(term-limited)[ab] 		Republican[213] 2002
2006 Elizabeth H. Roberts
73 Lincoln Chafee
(b. 1953)
[215] 		January 4, 2011[216]
–
January 6, 2015
(did not run) 		Independent[ac] 2010
74 Gina Raimondo
(b. 1971)
[218] 		January 6, 2015
–
March 2, 2021
(resigned)[ad] 		Democratic[218] 2014 Dan McKee
2018
75 Dan McKee
(b. 1951)
[220] 		March 2, 2021[221]
–
Incumbent[ae] 		Democratic[220] Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor 		Sabina Matos
2022

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Notes

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References

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