List of governors of Rhode Island

This is a list of the governors of Rhode Island, from 1775 to the present day; for earlier governors of Rhode Island see List of colonial governors of Rhode Island.

Governor of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
Flag of the Governor of Rhode Island.svg
Seal of the Governor of Rhode Island.svg
Lt. Gov. McKee on Coast Guard Auxiliary Day (cropped).jpg
Incumbent
Daniel McKee

since March 2, 2021
StyleThe Honorable or Her Excellency
Term lengthFour years, renewable once[1]
Inaugural holderNicholas Cooke; 1775
FormationConstitution of Rhode Island
SuccessionEvery four years, unless re-elected.
Salary$128,210 (2013)[2]

List of governors

# Governor Picture Party Took office Left office Notes
1 Nicholas Cooke None November 7, 1775 May 4, 1778
2 William Greene None May 4, 1778 May 3, 1786
3 John Collins None May 3, 1786 May 5, 1790
4 Arthur Fenner   Country Party May 5, 1790 October 15, 1805
5 Henry Smith Country October 15, 1805 May 7, 1806
6 Isaac Wilbour Country May 7, 1806 May 6, 1807
7 James Fenner   Democratic-Republican May 6, 1807 May 1, 1811
8 William Jones   Federalist May 1, 1811 May 7, 1817
9 Nehemiah R. Knight   Democratic-Republican May 7, 1817 May 2, 1821
10 William C. Gibbs   Democratic-Republican May 2, 1821 May 5, 1824
11 James Fenner   Democratic-Republican May 5, 1824 May 4, 1831
12 Lemuel H. Arnold   Whig May 4, 1831 May 1, 1833
13 John B. Francis   Democratic May 1, 1833 May 2, 1838
14 William Sprague III   Democratic May 2, 1838 May 2, 1839
15 Samuel Ward King   Rhode Island Party May 2, 1839 May 2, 1843
16 Thomas Dorr   extralegal, Dorr Rebellion May 1, 1842 January 23, 1843
17 James Fenner   Law and Order May 2, 1843 May 6, 1845
18 Charles Jackson   Whig,[3]
Liberation Party[4]
May 6, 1845 May 6, 1846
19 Byron Diman   Law and Order May 6, 1846 May 4, 1847
20 Elisha Harris   Whig May 4, 1847 May 1, 1849
21 Henry B. Anthony   Whig May 1, 1849 May 6, 1851
22 Philip Allen   Democratic May 6, 1851 July 20, 1853
23 Francis M. Dimond   Democratic July 20, 1853 May 2, 1854
24 William W. Hoppin   Whig May 2, 1854 May 26, 1857
25 Elisha Dyer Republican May 26, 1857 May 31, 1859
26 Thomas G. Turner   Republican May 31, 1859 May 29, 1860
27 William Sprague IV   Republican May 29, 1860 March 3, 1863
28 William C. Cozzens   Democratic March 3, 1863 May 26, 1863
29 James Y. Smith   Republican May 26, 1863 May 29, 1866
30 Ambrose Everett Burnside   Republican May 29, 1866 May 25, 1869
31 Seth Padelford   Republican May 25, 1869 May 27, 1873
32 Henry Howard   Republican May 27, 1873 May 25, 1875
33 Henry Lippitt   Republican May 25, 1875 May 29, 1877
34 Charles C. Van Zandt   Republican May 29, 1877 May 25, 1880
35 Alfred H. Littlefield   Republican May 25, 1880 May 29, 1883
36 Augustus O. Bourn   Republican May 29, 1883 May 26, 1885
37 George P. Wetmore   Republican May 26, 1885 May 29, 1887
38 John W. Davis   Democratic May 29, 1887 May 29, 1888
39 Royal C. Taft   Republican May 29, 1888 May 28, 1889
40 Herbert W. Ladd   Republican May 28, 1889 May 27, 1890
41 John W. Davis   Democratic May 27, 1890 May 26, 1891
42 Herbert W. Ladd   Republican May 26, 1891 May 31, 1892
43 D. Russell Brown   Republican May 31, 1892 May 29, 1895
44 Charles W. Lippitt   Republican May 29, 1895 May 25, 1897
45 Elisha Dyer, Jr. Republican May 25, 1897 May 29, 1900
46 William Gregory   Republican May 29, 1900 December 16, 1901
47 Charles D. Kimball   Republican December 16, 1901 January 3, 1903
48 Lucius F. C. Garvin   Democratic January 3, 1903 January 3, 1905
49 George H. Utter   Republican January 3, 1905 January 1, 1907
50 James H. Higgins   Democratic January 1, 1907 January 5, 1909
51 Aram J. Pothier   Republican January 5, 1909 January 5, 1915
52 R. Livingston Beeckman   Republican January 5, 1915 January 4, 1921
53 Emery J. San Souci   Republican January 4, 1921 January 2, 1923
54 William S. Flynn   Democratic January 2, 1923 January 6, 1925
55 Aram J. Pothier   Republican January 6, 1925 February 4, 1928
56 Norman S. Case   Republican February 4, 1928 January 3, 1933
57 Theodore Francis Green   Democratic January 3, 1933 January 5, 1937
58 Robert E. Quinn   Democratic January 5, 1937 January 3, 1939
59 William Henry Vanderbilt III   Republican January 3, 1939 January 7, 1941
60 J. Howard McGrath Democratic January 7, 1941 October 6, 1945
61 John Orlando Pastore   Democratic October 6, 1945 December 19, 1950
62 John S. McKiernan   Democratic December 19, 1950 January 2, 1951
63 Dennis J. Roberts   Democratic January 2, 1951 January 6, 1959
64 Christopher Del Sesto (1907–1973)   Republican January 6, 1959 January 3, 1961
65 John A. Notte, Jr. (1909–1983) Democratic January 3, 1961 January 1, 1963
66 John Hubbard Chafee (1922–1999)   Republican January 1, 1963 January 7, 1969
67 Frank Licht (1916–1987) Democratic January 7, 1969 January 2, 1973
68 Philip W. Noel (1931— )   Democratic January 2, 1973 January 4, 1977
69 J. Joseph Garrahy (1930–2012)   Democratic January 4, 1977 January 1, 1985
70 Edward D. DiPrete (1934– )   Republican January 1, 1985 January 1, 1991
71 Bruce Sundlun (1920–2011)   Democratic January 1, 1991 January 3, 1995
72 Lincoln Almond (1936– )   Republican January 3, 1995 January 7, 2003
73 Donald Carcieri (1942– )   Republican January 7, 2003 January 4, 2011
74 Lincoln Chafee (1953– )   Independent/Democratic January 4, 2011 January 6, 2015
75 Gina Raimondo (1971– )   Democratic January 6, 2015 March 2, 2021
76 Daniel McKee (1951– )   Democratic March 2, 2021 Incumbent

References

  1. Governors of Rhode Island served two-year terms prior to 1994.
  2. "CSG Releases 2013 Governor Salaries". The Council of State Governments. June 25, 2013. Retrieved November 23, 2014.
  3. "Rhode Island Governor Charles Jackson". National Governors Association. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
  4. "Rhode Island Governors 1640 – Present". Rhode Island Secretary of State. State of Rhode Island. Retrieved 25 March 2015.