Governor of Rhode Island

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	Rhode Island Governor
	; ; ;
	General information
Office Type:	Partisan
Office website:	Official Link
Compensation:	$145,755
2024 FY Budget:	$8,406,547
Term limits:	Two consecutive terms
	Structure
Length of term:	4 years
Authority:	Rhode Island Constitution, Article IX, Section I
Selection Method:	Elected
	Current Officeholder
	Governor of Rhode Island Daniel McKee; Democratic Party; Assumed office: 2021-03-02
	Elections
Next election:	November 3, 2026
Last election:	November 8, 2022
	Other Rhode Island Executive Offices
	Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Superintendent of Education • Agriculture Commissioner • Insurance Commissioner • Natural Resources Commissioner • Labor Commissioner • Public Service Commission

The Governor of the State of Rhode Island is an elected constitutional officer, the head of the executive branch and the highest state office in Rhode Island. The Governor is popularly elected every four years by a plurality and is limited to two consecutive terms.^[1]

Rhode Island has a Democratic trifecta. The Democratic Party controls the office of governor and both chambers of the state legislature.

Rhode Island has a Democratic triplex. The Democratic Party controls the offices of governor, secretary of state, and attorney general.

See also: Rhode Island State Legislature, Rhode Island House of Representatives, Rhode Island State Senate

Current officer

The 76th and current governor is Daniel McKee (D). McKee was sworn in as governor after Gina Raimondo resigned to become U.S. Secretary of Commerce.^[2]

Authority

The state Constitution addresses the office of the governor in Article IX, the Executive Department.

Under Article IX, Section I:

The chief executive power of this state shall be vested in a governor...^[1]

Qualifications

Under Article III, Of Qualification for Office, governors must:

be qualified electors of Rhode Island
not be serving a sentence for, on probation for, or on parole for any felony
not be bound by any other oath of Office, including holding any other state office or holding a federal office^[1]

Vacancies

See also: How gubernatorial vacancies are filled

Details of vacancy appointments are addressed under Article IX, Sections 9 and 10.

If the office of the governor becomes vacant by reason of death, resignation, impeachment, or inability to serve, the lieutenant governor will fill the office until a governor is qualified to act or until the office is filled at the next election.

If the office of the lieutenant governor is also vacant, the speaker of the house is the next in the line of succession.

Duties

The governor is responsible for maintaining that laws are executed according to state law and the state constitution (§ 2).

Additionally, the governor is the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces (§ 3); has the responsibility to submit the state budget to General Assembly annually (§ 19), and may call for special sessions with the Assembly (§ 7).

Other duties and privileges of the office include:

Appointing, with the consent of the Senate, all offices not otherwise provided for (§ 5)

Adjourning the General Assembly when its members cannot agree to do so themselves (§ 6)

Signing and sealing all commissions made by the state of Rhode Island (§ 8)

Granting reprieves, after conviction, in all cases, except those of impeachment, until the end of the next session of the General Assembly (§ 4)

Granting pardons, after conviction, in all cases, except those of impeachment, until the end of the next session of the General Assembly (§ 13)

Vetoing bills, resolutions, and votes, subject to a two-thirds legislative override (§ 14)^[1]

Elections

Rhode Island elects governors in the midterm elections, that is, even years that are not presidential election years. For Rhode Island, 2018, 2022, 2026, 2030, and 2034 are all gubernatorial election years. Legally, the gubernatorial inauguration is always set for the first Tuesday in the January following an election.^[1]

Term limits

See also: States with gubernatorial term limits

Rhode Island governors are restricted to two consecutive terms in office, after which they must wait one term before being eligible to run again.

Rhode Island Constitution, Article IV, Section 1

No person shall serve consecutively in the same general office for more than two (2) full terms, excluding any partial term of less than two (2) years previously served.^[1]

Partisan composition

The chart below shows the partisan breakdown of Rhode Island governors from 1992 to 2013.

2022

See also: Rhode Island gubernatorial election, 2022

General election

General election for Governor of Rhode Island

Incumbent Daniel McKee defeated Ashley Kalus, Zachary Baker Hurwitz, Paul Rianna Jr., and Elijah Gizzarelli in the general election for Governor of Rhode Island on November 8, 2022.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Daniel McKee (D)	57.9	207,166
	Ashley Kalus (R)	38.9	139,001
	Zachary Baker Hurwitz (Independent)	1.3	4,512
	Paul Rianna Jr. (Independent)	0.9	3,123
	Elijah Gizzarelli (L)	0.8	2,811
	Other/Write-in votes	0.3	1,057

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 357,670
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

James Aubin (L)
Christopher Reynolds (Independent)
Richard Spinney (Independent)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Governor of Rhode Island

Incumbent Daniel McKee defeated Helena Foulkes, Nellie Gorbea, Matt Brown, and Luis Daniel Muñoz in the Democratic primary for Governor of Rhode Island on September 13, 2022.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Daniel McKee	32.8	37,288
	Helena Foulkes	29.9	33,931
	Nellie Gorbea	26.2	29,811
	Matt Brown	7.9	9,021
	Luis Daniel Muñoz	3.1	3,547

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 113,598
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Kalilu Camara (D)
Seth Magaziner (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Governor of Rhode Island

Ashley Kalus defeated Jonathan Riccitelli in the Republican primary for Governor of Rhode Island on September 13, 2022.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Ashley Kalus	83.7	17,188
	Jonathan Riccitelli	16.3	3,351

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 20,539
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates