1861 Rhode Island gubernatorial election

The 1861 Rhode Island gubernatorial election was held April 3, 1861 to elect the governor of Rhode Island. William Sprague IV, the incumbent governor, was reelected, defeating his Republican rival, Mayor James Y. Smith of Providence. Sprague was nominated by Rhode Island's Union Party, a coalition of Democrats, conservative Republicans, and ex-Whigs that had supported him in 1860.

General election
On election day, 3 April 1861, incumbent Governor William Sprague IV won re-election by a margin of 1,644 votes against his opponent Republican nominee James Y. Smith, thereby retaining Unionist control over the office of Governor. Sprague was sworn in for his second term on 5 May 1861.