List of governors of Rhode Island
Governor of Rhode Island | |
---|---|
![]() Seal of the Governor | |
![]() Flag of the Governor | |
Style |
|
Status | |
Term length | Four years, renewable once |
Inaugural holder | Nicholas Cooke |
Formation | November 7, 1775 |
Deputy | Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island |
Salary | $128,210 (2013)[1] |
Website | governor |
The governor of Rhode Island is the head of government of Rhode Island and serves as commander-in-chief of the state's Army National Guard and Air National Guard. The current governor is Dan McKee. John W. Davis, Herbert W. Ladd, and Aram J. Pothier each served two non-consecutive stints, while James Fenner served three non-consecutive stints as governor.
Party affiliation[edit]
Party | Governors |
---|---|
Republican | 32 |
Democratic | 22 |
Democratic-Republican | 4 |
Independent | 4 |
Whig | 4 |
Country | 3 |
Law and Order | 2 |
Dorr Rebellion | 1 |
Federalist | 1 |
Know Nothing | 1 |
Rhode Island Party | 1 |
Colonial Rhode Island, 1640–1775[edit]
List of governors of Rhode Island, 1775–present[edit]
- Parties
Country Democratic Federalist Democratic-Republican Dorr Rebellion No party Whig Law and Order Republican Know Nothing Rhode Island Party
No. | Governor | Term in office | Party | Election | Lt. Governor | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() | Nicholas Cooke | November 7, 1775 – May 4, 1778 | None | 1776 | None | ||
1777 | ||||||||
2 | William Greene | May 4, 1778 – May 3, 1786 | None | 1778 | ||||
1779 | ||||||||
1780 | ||||||||
1781 | ||||||||
1782 | ||||||||
1783 | ||||||||
1784 | ||||||||
1785 | ||||||||
3 | John Collins | May 3, 1786 – May 5, 1790 | None | 1786 | ||||
1787 | ||||||||
1788 | ||||||||
1789 | ||||||||
4 | ![]() | Arthur Fenner | May 5, 1790 – October 15, 1805 (died)[b] | Country Party | 1790 | Samuel J. Potter | ||
1791 | ||||||||
1792 | ||||||||
1793 | ||||||||
1794 | ||||||||
1795 | ||||||||
1796 | ||||||||
1797 | ||||||||
1798 | ||||||||
1799 | George Brown | |||||||
1800 | Samuel J. Potter | |||||||
1801 | ||||||||
1802 | ||||||||
1803 | Paul Mumford | |||||||
1804 | ||||||||
1805 | ||||||||
5 | Henry Smith | October 15, 1805 – May 7, 1806 | Country Party | Succeeded from President of the Senate | None | |||
6 | ![]() | Isaac Wilbour | May 7, 1806 – May 6, 1807 | Country Party | 1806 | Isaac Wilbour | ||
7 | ![]() | James Fenner | May 6, 1807 – May 1, 1811 | Democratic-Republican | 1807 | Constant Taber | ||
1808 | Simeon Martin | |||||||
1809 | ||||||||
1810 | Isaac Wilbour | |||||||
8 | ![]() | William Jones | May 1, 1811 – May 7, 1817 | Federalist | 1811 | Simeon Martin | ||
1812 | ||||||||
1813 | ||||||||
1814 | ||||||||
1815 | ||||||||
1816 | Jeremiah Thurston | |||||||
9 | ![]() | Nehemiah R. Knight | May 7, 1817 – May 2, 1821 | Democratic-Republican | 1817 | Edward Wilcox | ||
1818 | ||||||||
1819 | ||||||||
1820 | ||||||||
10 | ![]() | William C. Gibbs | May 2, 1821 – May 5, 1824 | Democratic-Republican | 1821 | Caleb Earle | ||
1822 | ||||||||
1823 | ||||||||
11 | ![]() | James Fenner | May 5, 1824 – May 4, 1831 | Democratic-Republican | 1824 | Charles Collins | ||
1825 | ||||||||
1826 | ||||||||
1827 | ||||||||
1828 | ||||||||
1829 | ||||||||
1830 | ||||||||
12 | ![]() | Lemuel H. Arnold | May 4, 1831 – May 1, 1833 | National Republican | 1831 | |||
1832 | ||||||||
13 | ![]() | John B. Francis | May 1, 1833 – May 2, 1838 | Democratic | 1833 | Jeffrey Hazard | ||
1834 | ||||||||
1835 | George Engs | |||||||
1836 | Jeffrey Hazard | |||||||
1837 | Benjamin B. Thurston | |||||||
14 | ![]() | William Sprague III | May 2, 1838 – May 2, 1839 | Whig | 1838 | Joseph Childs | ||
15 | ![]() | Samuel Ward King | May 2, 1839 – May 2, 1843 | Rhode Island Party | 1839 | Byron Diman | ||
1840 | ||||||||
1841 | ||||||||
1842 | Nathaniel Bullock | |||||||
16 | ![]() | Thomas Dorr | May 1, 1842 – January 23, 1843 | Extralegal Dorr Rebellion | None | |||
17 | ![]() | James Fenner | May 2, 1843 – May 6, 1845 | Law and Order | 1843 | Byron Diman | ||
1844 | ||||||||
18 | ![]() | Charles Jackson | May 6, 1845 – May 6, 1846 | Whig,[2] Liberation Party[3] | 1845 | |||
19 | ![]() | Byron Diman | May 6, 1846 – May 4, 1847 | Law and Order | 1846 | Elisha Harris | ||
20 | ![]() | Elisha Harris | May 4, 1847 – May 1, 1849 | Whig | 1847 | Edward W. Lawton | ||
1848 | ||||||||
21 | ![]() | Henry B. Anthony | May 1, 1849 – May 6, 1851 | Whig | 1849 | Thomas Whipple | ||
1850 | ||||||||
22 | ![]() | Philip Allen | May 6, 1851 – July 20, 1853 | Democratic | 1851 | William Beach Lawrence | ||
1852 | Samuel G. Arnold | |||||||
1853 | Francis M. Dimond | |||||||
23 | ![]() | Francis M. Dimond | July 20, 1853 – May 2, 1854 | Democratic | Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor | |||
24 | ![]() | William W. Hoppin | May 2, 1854 – May 26, 1857 | Whig | 1854 | John J. Reynolds | ||
1855 | Anderson C. Rose | |||||||
1856 | Nicholas Brown III | |||||||
25 | ![]() | Elisha Dyer | May 26, 1857 – May 31, 1859 (not candidate for election) | Republican | 1857 | Thomas G. Turner | ||
1858 | ||||||||
26 | ![]() | Thomas G. Turner | May 31, 1859 – May 29, 1860 (not candidate for election) | Republican | 1859 | Isaac Saunders | ||
27 | ![]() | William Sprague IV | May 29, 1860 – March 3, 1863 (resigned)[c] | Republican | 1860 | J. Russell Bullock | ||
1861 | ||||||||
1862 | Samuel G. Arnold | |||||||
28 | ![]() | William C. Cozzens | March 3, 1863 – May 26, 1863 (lost election) | Democratic | Succeeded from President of the Senate | None | ||
29 | ![]() | James Y. Smith | May 26, 1863 – May 29, 1866 (not candidate for election) | Republican | 1863 | Seth Padelford | ||
1864 | ||||||||
1865 | Duncan Pell | |||||||
30 | ![]() | Ambrose Everett Burnside | May 29, 1866 – May 25, 1869 (not candidate for election) | Republican | 1866 | William Greene | ||
1867 | ||||||||
1868 | Pardon Stevens | |||||||
31 | ![]() | Seth Padelford | May 25, 1869 – May 27, 1873 (not candidate for election) | Republican | 1869 | |||
1870 | ||||||||
1871 | ||||||||
1872 | Charles Cutler | |||||||
32 | ![]() | Henry Howard | May 27, 1873 – May 25, 1875 (not candidate for election) | Republican | 1873 | Charles C. Van Zandt | ||
1874 | ||||||||
33 | ![]() | Henry Lippitt | May 25, 1875 – May 29, 1877 (not candidate for election) | Republican | 1875 | Henry Tillinghast Sisson | ||
1876 | ||||||||
34 | ![]() | Charles C. Van Zandt | May 29, 1877 – May 25, 1880 (not candidate for election) | Republican | 1877 | Albert C. Howard | ||
1878 | ||||||||
1879 | ||||||||
35 | ![]() | Alfred H. Littlefield | May 25, 1880 – May 29, 1883 (not candidate for election) | Republican | 1880 | Henry Fay | ||
1881 | ||||||||
1882 | ||||||||
36 | ![]() | Augustus O. Bourn | May 29, 1883 – May 26, 1885 (not candidate for election) | Republican | 1883 | Oscar Rathbun | ||
1884 | ||||||||
37 | ![]() | George P. Wetmore | May 26, 1885 – May 29, 1887 (lost election) | Republican | 1885 | Lucius B. Darling | ||
1886 | ||||||||
38 | ![]() | John W. Davis | May 29, 1887 – May 29, 1888 (lost election) | Democratic | 1887 | Samuel R. Honey | ||
39 | ![]() | Royal C. Taft | May 29, 1888 – May 28, 1889 (not candidate for election) | Republican | 1888 | Enos Lapham | ||
40 | ![]() | Herbert W. Ladd | May 28, 1889 – May 27, 1890 (lost election) | Republican | 1889 | Daniel Littlefield | ||
41 | ![]() | John W. Davis | May 27, 1890 – May 26, 1891 (lost election) | Democratic | 1890 | William T. C. Wardwell | ||
42 | ![]() | Herbert W. Ladd | May 26, 1891 – May 31, 1892 (not candidate for election) | Republican | 1891 | Henry A. Stearns | ||
43 | ![]() | D. Russell Brown | May 31, 1892 – May 29, 1895 (not candidate for election) | Republican | 1892 | Melville Bull | ||
1893 | ||||||||
1894 | Edwin Allen | |||||||
44 | ![]() | Charles W. Lippitt | May 29, 1895 – May 25, 1897 (not candidate for election) | Republican | 1895 | |||
1896 | ||||||||
45 | ![]() | Elisha Dyer, Jr. | May 25, 1897 – May 29, 1900 (not candidate for election) | Republican | 1897 | Aram J. Pothier | ||
1898 | William Gregory | |||||||
1899 | ||||||||
46 | ![]() | William Gregory | May 29, 1900 – December 16, 1901 (died) | Republican | 1900 | Charles D. Kimball | ||
1901 | ||||||||
47 | ![]() | Charles D. Kimball | December 16, 1901 – January 3, 1903 (lost election) | Republican | Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor | None | ||
George L. Shepley | ||||||||
48 | ![]() | Lucius F. C. Garvin | January 3, 1903 – January 3, 1905 (lost election) | Democratic | 1902 | Adelard Archambault | ||
1903 | George H. Utter | |||||||
49 | ![]() | George H. Utter | January 3, 1905 – January 1, 1907 (lost election) | Republican | 1904 | Frederick H. Jackson | ||
1905 | ||||||||
50 | ![]() | James H. Higgins | January 1, 1907 – January 5, 1909 (not candidate for election) | Democratic | 1906 | |||
1907 | Ralph Watrous | |||||||
51 | ![]() | Aram J. Pothier | January 5, 1909 – January 5, 1915 (not candidate for election) | Republican | 1908 | Arthur W. Dennis | ||
1909 | Emery J. San Souci | |||||||
1910 | ||||||||
1911 | ||||||||
1912 | Rosewell Burchard | |||||||
52 | ![]() | R. Livingston Beeckman | January 5, 1915 – January 4, 1921 (not candidate for election) | Republican | 1914 | Emery J. San Souci | ||
1916 | ||||||||
1918 | ||||||||
53 | ![]() | Emery J. San Souci | January 4, 1921 – January 2, 1923 (not candidate for election) | Republican | 1920 | Harold Gross | ||
54 | ![]() | William S. Flynn | January 2, 1923 – January 6, 1925 (not candidate for election) | Democratic | 1922 | Felix A. Toupin | ||
55 | ![]() | Aram J. Pothier | January 6, 1925 – February 4, 1928 (died) | Republican | 1924 | Nathaniel W. Smith | ||
1926 | Norman S. Case | |||||||
56 | ![]() | Norman S. Case | February 4, 1928 – January 3, 1933 (lost election) | Republican | Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor | None | ||
1928 | James G. Connelly | |||||||
1930 | ||||||||
57 | ![]() | Theodore Francis Green | January 3, 1933 – January 5, 1937 (not candidate for election) | Democratic | 1932 | Robert E. Quinn | ||
1934 | ||||||||
58 | ![]() | Robert E. Quinn | January 5, 1937 – January 3, 1939 (lost election) | Democratic | 1936 | Raymond E. Jordan | ||
59 | ![]() | William Henry Vanderbilt III | January 3, 1939 – January 7, 1941 (lost election) | Republican | 1938 | James O. McManus | ||
60 | ![]() | J. Howard McGrath | January 7, 1941 – October 6, 1945 (resigned)[d] | Democratic | 1940 | Louis W. Cappelli | ||
1942 | ||||||||
1944 | John Pastore | |||||||
61 | ![]() | John Pastore | October 6, 1945 – December 19, 1950 (resigned)[c] | Democratic | Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor | John S. McKiernan | ||
1946 | ||||||||
1948 | ||||||||
62 | ![]() | John S. McKiernan | December 19, 1950 – January 2, 1951 (successor took office) | Democratic | Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor | None | ||
63 | ![]() | Dennis J. Roberts | January 2, 1951 – January 6, 1959 (lost election) | Democratic | 1950 | John S. McKiernan | ||
1952 | ||||||||
1954 | ||||||||
1956 | Armand H. Cote | |||||||
64 | ![]() | Christopher Del Sesto | January 6, 1959 – January 3, 1961 (lost election) | Republican | 1958 | John A. Notte, Jr. | ||
65 | ![]() | John A. Notte, Jr. | January 3, 1961 – January 1, 1963 (lost election) | Democratic | 1960 | Edward P. Gallogly | ||
66 | ![]() | John Chafee | January 1, 1963 – January 7, 1969 (lost election) | Republican | 1962 | |||
1964 | Giovanni Folcarelli | |||||||
1966 | Joseph O'Donnell, Jr. | |||||||
67 | ![]() | Frank Licht | January 7, 1969 – January 2, 1973 (not candidate for election) | Democratic | 1968 | J. Joseph Garrahy | ||
1970 | ||||||||
68 | ![]() | Philip W. Noel | January 2, 1973 – January 4, 1977 (not candidate for election) | Democratic | 1972 | |||
1974 | ||||||||
69 | ![]() | J. Joseph Garrahy | January 4, 1977 – January 1, 1985 (not candidate for election) | Democratic | 1976 | Thomas R. DiLuglio | ||
1978 | ||||||||
1980 | ||||||||
1982 | ||||||||
70 | ![]() | Edward D. DiPrete | January 1, 1985 – January 1, 1991 (lost election) | Republican | 1984 | Richard A. Licht | ||
1986 | ||||||||
1988 | Roger N. Begin | |||||||
71 | ![]() | Bruce Sundlun | January 1, 1991 – January 3, 1995 (lost renomination) | Democratic | 1990 | |||
1992 | Robert Weygand | |||||||
72 | ![]() | Lincoln Almond | January 3, 1995 – January 7, 2003 (term limited)[e] | Republican | 1994 | |||
Bernard Jackvony | ||||||||
1998 | Charles J. Fogarty | |||||||
73 | ![]() | Donald Carcieri | January 7, 2003 – January 4, 2011 (term limited) | Republican | 2002 | |||
2006 | Elizabeth H. Roberts | |||||||
74 | ![]() | Lincoln Chafee | January 4, 2011 – January 6, 2015 (not candidate for election) | Independent[f] | 2010 | |||
Democratic[f] | ||||||||
75 | ![]() | Gina Raimondo | January 6, 2015 – March 2, 2021 (resigned)[g] | Democratic | 2014 | Dan McKee | ||
2018 | ||||||||
76 | ![]() | Dan McKee | March 2, 2021 – Incumbent[h] | Democratic | Succeeded from Lieutenant Governor | Sabina Matos | ||
2022 |
Succession[edit]
See also[edit]
Notes[edit]
- ^ Table does not include governors from the colonial period, when there were no organized parties in Rhode Island, and governors were generally appointed rather than elected. It also does not include acting governors.
- ^ Rhode Island ratified the U.S. Constitution on May 29, 1790.
- ^ a b Resigned to take an elected seat in the U.S. Senate.
- ^ Resigned to become United States Solicitor General.
- ^ First governor to serve a four-year term.
- ^ a b Chafee served in prior offices as a Republican, but ran for governor as an independent. On May 30, 2013, while in office, he switched his party affiliation to Democratic.[4]
- ^ Resigned to become United States Secretary of Commerce.
- ^ McKee's first full term began on January 3, 2023 and will expire January 5, 2027.
References[edit]
- ^ "CSG Releases 2013 Governor Salaries". The Council of State Governments. June 25, 2013. Retrieved November 23, 2014.
- ^ "Rhode Island Governor Charles Jackson". National Governors Association. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
- ^ "Rhode Island Governors 1640 – Present". Rhode Island Secretary of State. State of Rhode Island. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
- ^ Burns, Alexander (May 29, 2013). "Lincoln Chafee switches affiliation to Democrat". Politico. Archived from the original on June 9, 2013. Retrieved 2013-05-30.
External links[edit]
- Governor's digitized records from the Rhode Island State Archives
- Governor of Rhode Island: Proclamations Issued from the Rhode Island State Archives
- Governor's Executive Orders from the Rhode Island State Archives
- Guide to the Governor's Executive Orders from the Rhode Island State Archives
- Guide to the Tavares Collection from the Rhode Island State Archives