List of mayors of Providence, Rhode Island facts for kids
The city of Providence, Rhode Island has had many leaders over the years. The most important leader is the Mayor of Providence. The mayor is like the chief executive officer of the city, helping to make sure everything runs smoothly and that the city's services work well for its people.
When Providence first started having mayors, their term (how long they served) was only one year, from June to June. Over time, this changed. In 1873, the term shifted to start in January. Then, in 1913, the term was made longer to two years. Finally, in January 1967, the mayor's term became four years, which is how it is today. This means mayors now serve for a longer time, allowing them to work on bigger projects for the city.
The current mayor of Providence is Brett Smiley. He took office on January 2, 2023.
List of Mayors of Providence
This table shows the people who have served as mayor of Providence, Rhode Island, from the very first one to the current mayor.
| # | Image | Name | Term | Party |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Samuel W. Bridgham | June 1832–December 28, 1840 | Whig | |
| 2 | Thomas M. Burgess | February 2, 1841–June 1852 | Whig | |
| 3 | Amos C. Barstow | June 1852–June 1853 | Whig | |
| 4 | Walter R. Danforth | June 1853–June 1854 | Democrat | |
| 5 | Edward P. Knowles | June 1854–June 1855 | Whig | |
| 6 | James Y. Smith | June 1855–June 1857 | Republican | |
| 7 | William M. Rodman | June 1857–June 1859 | American | |
| 8 | Jabez C. Knight | June 1859–June 1864 | Republican | |
| 9 | Thomas A. Doyle | June 1864–June 1869 | Republican | |
| 10 | George L. Clarke | June 1869–June 1870 | Republican | |
| 11 | Thomas A. Doyle | June 1870–June 1881 | Republican | |
| 12 | William S. Hayward | January 1881–January 1884 | Republican | |
| 13 | Thomas A. Doyle | January 1884–June 9, 1886 | Republican | |
| 14 | Gilbert F. Robbins | June 9, 1886–January 1889 | Republican | |
| 15 | Henry R. Barker | January 1889–January 1891 | Republican | |
| 16 | Charles Sydney Smith | January 1891–January 1892 | Republican | |
| 17 | William Knight Potter | January 1892–January 1894 | Democrat | |
| 18 | Frank F. Olney | January 1894–January 1896 | Republican | |
| 19 | Edwin D. McGuinness | January 6, 1896–January 3, 1898 | Democrat | |
| 20 | William C. Baker | January 1898–January 1901 | Democrat | |
| 21 | Daniel L. D. Granger | January 1901–January 1903 | Democrat | |
| 22 | Augustus S. Miller | January 1903–September 26, 1905 | Democrat | |
| 23 | Elisha Dyer, Jr. | January 1906–November 29, 1906 | Republican | |
| 24 | Patrick J. McCarthy | January 1907–January 1909 | Democratic | |
| 25 | Henry Fletcher | January 1909–January 1913 | Republican | |
| 26 | Joseph H. Gainer | January 1913–January 1927 | Democratic | |
| 27 | James E. Dunne | January 1927–January 1939 | Democratic | |
| 28 | John F. Collins | January 2, 1939–January 6, 1941 | Republican | |
| 29 | Dennis J. Roberts | January 1941–January 1951 | Democratic | |
| 30 | Walter H. Reynolds | January 1951–January 5, 1965 | Democratic | |
| 31 | Joseph A. Doorley, Jr. | January 5, 1965–January 6, 1975 | Democratic | |
| 32 | Vincent "Buddy" Cianci | January 7, 1975–April 25, 1984 | Republican (1974–1982) Independent (1982–1984) |
|
| 33 | Joseph R. Paolino | April 25, 1984–January 7, 1991 | Democratic | |
| 34 | Vincent "Buddy" Cianci | January 7, 1991–September 6, 2002 | Independent | |
| 35 | John J. Lombardi | September 6, 2002–January 6, 2003 | Democratic | |
| 36 | David Cicilline | January 6, 2003–January 3, 2011 | Democratic | |
| 37 | Angel Taveras | January 3, 2011–January 5, 2015 | Democratic | |
| 38 | Jorge Elorza | January 5, 2015–January 2, 2023 | Democratic | |
| 39 | Brett Smiley | January 2, 2023–present | Democratic |
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See also
- Mayoral elections in Providence, Rhode Island
