Nationally, state governors issued 33 executive orders from Oct. 16-29. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) led the field with nine, followed by Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey (D) with three. Governors in 35 states issued the fewest orders with zero.
Governors use executive orders to manage executive branch operations. The 33 orders account for 2% of the year-to-date total of 1,321. Kemp, again, leads with 442 orders issued since Jan. 1, followed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) with 210 and New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) with 139.
Governors have issued an average of 31 executive orders per week so far this year. This figure is more than the 2022 weekly average of 30.
Georgia and Florida lead in the number of executive orders issued for two reasons: unlike most states, in Georgia, the governor uses executive orders to appoint and reappoint members of state boards and judges. In Florida, also unlike most states, the governor uses executive orders for state attorney executive assignments.
Governors in 15 states have issued fewer than five orders since the start of the year, and those in Alaska and Mississippi have yet to issue any orders so far. In states with a Republican trifecta, governors issued 836 orders, while governors in states with a Democratic trifecta issued 356. A trifecta is when one political party holds the governorship and majorities in both chambers of the state legislature. In states where neither party holds trifecta control, governors issued 129 orders.
