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.

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.

[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.