Government of Rhode Island | |
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Polity type | Presidential Republic |
Constitution | Constitution of Rhode Island |
Legislative branch | |
Name | General Assembly |
Type | Bicameral |
Meeting place | Rhode Island State House |
Upper house | |
Name | Senate |
Presiding officer | Dominick J. Ruggerio, President |
Lower house | |
Name | House of Representatives |
Presiding officer | Joe Shekarchi, Speaker |
Executive branch | |
Head of State and Government | |
Title | Governor |
Currently | Daniel McKee |
Appointer | Election |
Cabinet | |
Leader | Governor |
Deputy leader | Lieutenant Governor |
Headquarters | State House |
Judicial branch | |
Name | Judiciary of Rhode Island |
Courts | Courts of Rhode Island |
Rhode Island Supreme Court | |
Chief judge | Paul Suttell |
Seat | Providence County Courthouse, Providence |
The government of the state of Rhode Island is prescribed from a multitude of sources; the main sources are the Rhode Island Constitution, the General Laws, and executive orders. The governmental structure is modeled on the Government of the United States in having three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial.
Pursuant to Articles VI, VII, and VIII of the Rhode Island Constitution, the legislature is vested in the Rhode Island General Assembly. The General Assembly is bicameral, composed of the House of Representatives and the Senate.
The House of Representatives has a total of 75 members currently. The Senate has 38 members. The General Assembly meets in the State House.
The state elects a governor, a lieutenant governor, a secretary of state, a general treasurer, and an attorney general. The governor appoints a Sheriff, who, unlike most other sheriffs, has statewide jurisdiction. The governor appoints many officers to act as commissioners, directors, or other officers.
The executive authority is vested in the governor, typically through various directors and commissioners. The lieutenant governor, though nominally in the executive branch, is a largely ceremonial position. The governor and lieutenant governor are elected on separate tickets by the electorate of Rhode Island. The governor's offices are located in the State House. Rhode Island is one of the few states that lacks a governor's mansion.
Rhode Island government has numerous departments, agencies, and divisions. The major ones are:
The judicial branch of the state government consists of the Rhode Island Supreme Court and the lower courts, which consist of the Superior Court, Family Court, District Court, Workers' Compensation Court and the Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal.
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This local electoral calendar for 2022 lists the subnational elections held in 2022. Referendums, recall and retention elections, and national by-elections are also included.