List of lieutenant governors of Rhode Island

Seal of the lieutenant governor

The current lieutenant governor of Rhode Island is Sabina Matos, who was sworn in on April 14, 2021, after Daniel McKee succeeded to the office of governor. The first lieutenant governor was George Brown.

In Rhode Island, the lieutenant governor and governor of Rhode Island are elected on separate tickets.

Seven lieutenant governors have served during a vacancy in the office of governor under the current 1842 constitution: Francis M. Dimond (1853), William C. Cozzens (1863), Charles D. Kimball (1901), Norman Case (1928), John Pastore (1945), and John S. McKiernan (1950).^[1]

Deputy governors of the Colony of Rhode Island

John Clarke, Deputy Governor 1669–70, 1671–72

• William Brenton, of Newport; November 1663 – 2 May 1666
• Nicholas Easton, of Newport; 2 May 1666 – 5 May 1669
• John Clarke, of Newport; 5 May 1669 – 4 May 1670
• Nicholas Easton, of Newport; 4 May 1670 – 3 May 1671
• John Clarke, of Newport; 3 May 1671 – 1 May 1672
• John Cranston, of Newport; 1 May 1672 – 7 May 1673
• William Coddington, of Newport; 7 May 1673 – 6 May 1674
• John Easton, of Newport; 6 May 1674 – April 1676
• John Cranston, of Newport; 3 May 1676 – 8 November 1678 (became governor)
• James Barker, of Newport; 8 November 1678 – 7 May 1679
• Walter Clarke, of Newport; 7 May 1679 – 5 May 1686
• John Coggeshall, Jr., of Newport; 5 May 1686 – June 1686

The Royal Charter was suspended from 1686 until 1689.

William Bradford, last deputy governor of the colony and first deputy governor of the state

• John Coggeshall, Jr., of Newport; 18 April 1689 – 7 May 1690
• John Greene, Jr., of Warwick; 7 May 1690 – May 1, 1700
• Walter Clarke, of Newport; May 1, 1700 – May 23, 1714 (died in office)
• Henry Tew, of Newport; June 15, 1714 – May 3, 1715
• Joseph Jenckes, of Providence; May 3, 1715 – May 3, 1721
• John Wanton, of Newport; May 3, 1721 – May 2, 1722
• Joseph Jenckes, of Providence; May 2, 1722 – May 3, 1727
• Jonathan Nichols, of Newport; May 3, 1727 – August 2, 1727 (died in office)
• Thomas Frye, of East Greenwich; August 22, 1727 – May 7, 1729
• John Wanton, of Newport; May 7, 1729 – May 5, 1734
• George Hazard, of S. Kingstown; May 5, 1734 – before May 22, 1738 (died in office)
• Daniel Abbott, of Providence; July 5, 1738 – May 1, 1740
• Richard Ward, of Newport; May 1, 1740 – July 15, 1740 (became governor)
• William Greene, of Newport; July 15, 1740 – May 4, 1743
• Joseph Whipple, Jr., of Newport; May 4, 1743 – May 1, 1745
• William Robinson, of S. Kingstown; May 1, 1745 – May 7, 1746
• Joseph Whipple, Jr., of Newport; May 7, 1746 – May 6, 1747
• William Robinson, of S. Kingstown; May 6, 1747 – May 4, 1748
• William Ellery, Sr., of Newport; May 4, 1748 – May 2, 1750
• Robert Hazard, of S. Kingstown; May 2, 1750 – May 1, 1751
• Joseph Whipple, III, of Newport; May 1, 1751 – November 2, 1753 (resigned)
• Jonathan Nichols, Jr., of Newport; November 2, 1753 – May 1, 1754
• John Gardner, of Newport; May 1, 1754 – May 7, 1755
• Jonathan Nichols, Jr., of Newport; May 7, 1755 – September 1756 (died in office)
• John Gardner, of Newport; September 6, 1756 – January 1764 (died in office)
• Joseph Wanton, Jr., of Newport; February 27, 1764 – May 1, 1765
• Elisha Brown, of N. Providence; May 1, 1765 – May 6, 1767
• Joseph Wanton, Jr., of Newport; May 6, 1767 – May 4, 1768
• Nicholas Cooke, of Providence; May 4, 1768 – May 3, 1769
• Darius Sessions, of Providence; May 3, 1769 – May 3, 1775
• Nicholas Cooke, of Providence; May 3, 1775 – November 7, 1775 (became governor)
• William Bradford, of Bristol; November 7, 1775 – May 6, 1778

Deputy and lieutenant governors of the State of Rhode Island

The title of the office was changed to Lieutenant Governor in 1798.

Lieutenant governors under the constitution, 1843–present

Unusual candidacies

During the 2010 elections, the Cool Moose Party of Rhode Island submitted Bob Healey as candidate for lieutenant governor. He ran on the proposition that he would attempt to abolish the office of lieutenant governor itself.^[2]

References

1. McGowan, Dan (January 11, 2021). "How many times have there been a gubernatorial vacancy in Rhode Island?". The Boston Globe. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
2. "Votehealey.com - Robert J. Healey Jr. For Rhode Island Governor". Archived from the original on March 23, 2016. Retrieved October 22, 2010.