Incumbent
Providence Mayor winner?
$19.3K
NOV 7, 2026
General Election
Voters choose the office holder.
Overview
Current roleMayor
PartyDemocratic
Political ideologyModerate Democrat
Age47 years old (May 7, 1979)
GenderMale
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LocationRhode Island
BackgroundPolitician
EducationDePaul University (BS, Finance)
Notable personal detailsBrett Peter Smiley is an American politician and the 39th Mayor of Providence, Rhode Island, in office since 2023. He previously served as Chief Operating Officer for the City of Providence, Chief of Staff to Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo, and Director of the Rhode Island Department of Administration. He earned a BS in finance and an MBA from DePaul University. Smiley is a Democrat and is married to Jim DeRentis.
SourcesShowHide
Positions
Economy & Taxes
Brett Smiley has proposed budgets that increase city spending on services, public safety, and housing and has supported raising residential property tax revenue (including changes to the homeowner/exemption structure) to fund those priorities while at times presenting budgets without a blanket citywide tax increase. His actions emphasize using local tax revenue and budget adjustments to expand services and stabilize city finances.
Healthcare
Supports expanding access to healthcare services through city programs and affordable housing initiatives, and lists health and safety as a campaign priority. Seeks to bring health services to community settings rather than advocating for wholesale privatization or single-payer at the municipal level.
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Immigration & Border
As mayor, Brett Smiley has taken executive actions to limit local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, including orders that Providence police will not assist with civil immigration enforcement and that city property is off-limits for ICE enforcement operations absent a warrant. He frames these steps as protecting the safety and dignity of immigrant residents. No clear public evidence was found of advocacy for federal-level measures such as pathways to citizenship in the sources reviewed.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
The candidate supports protecting access to abortion and measures to shield individuals seeking abortion care from out-of-state criminalization; he has participated in efforts to codify reproductive privacy protections in Rhode Island. He is affiliated with Planned Parenthood of Southern New England in a leadership role, indicating support for reproductive health services and rights.
Climate & Energy
Supports accelerating clean energy and climate resilience in Providence through programs that increase renewable electricity participation, set carbon-neutrality targets for city-owned buildings, invest in green infrastructure and a proposed municipal ‘green revolving fund’ for efficiency projects. Policies emphasize energy cost savings, stormwater/flood resilience, and equitable climate action rather than rolling back fossil-fuel use immediately.
Public Safety & Guns
Brett Smiley supports strengthening public-safety and gun-safety measures while also investing in policing and community-based public-health responses. His administration has prioritized hiring more police officers and securing federal public-safety grants, and he has expressed support for gun-safety measures in Rhode Island while acknowledging recreational firearm ownership.
News
Brett Smiley is in the news mainly because of the Providence mayoral race, where he is running for reelection and has been trading attacks with challenger David Morales over public safety, housing, and policing. He recently launched a campaign ad criticizing Morales over past comments on police funding, and the two also clashed in a televised debate. Housing remains a major issue in his campaign, with Smiley facing criticism over rent stabilization and a dispute with the City Council over a $1 million rent relief program. He has also been tied to recent city safety and policy debates, including downtown security and possible vetoes of police oversight legislation.
Providence police chief, oversight panel at odds over records access
Smiley's first attack ad accuses Morales of wanting to defund police
Democratic socialism or pragmatism? Smiley, Morales present different visions in TV debate
Democratic Socialism and ideas that resonate are not ‘radicalism’
Endorsements
Endorsers of Brett Smiley for Providence Mayor winner?
Democratic Mayors Association
Advocacy group
The Democratic Mayors Association endorsed Brett Smiley.
Rhode Island Building Trades
Elected official
Rhode Island Building Trades endorsed Brett Smiley for mayor.
Senator Quezada and Representative Diaz
Elected official
Senator Quezada and Representative Diaz endorsed Brett Smiley for mayor.
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Polls
- Fundraising