State governors issued 40 executive orders from Oct. 30-Nov. 12. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) led the field with nine, followed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) with eight. Governors in 33 states issued the fewest orders with zero.
Governors use executive orders to manage executive branch operations. The 40 executive orders account for 3% of the year-to-date total of 1,384. Kemp leads, again, with 473 orders issued since Jan. 1, followed by DeSantis with 219 and New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) with 141.
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 17 states have issued fewer than five orders since the start of the year. In states with a Republican trifecta, governors issued 880 orders, while governors in states with a Democratic trifecta issued 368. 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 136 orders.
