Nationally, state governors issued 53 executive orders from June 19-July 2. New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) led the field with 34, followed by Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) with three. Governors in 35 states issued the fewest orders with zero.
Governors use executive orders to manage executive branch operations. The last two weeks account for 7% of the year-to-date total of 810. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) leads with 216 orders issued since Jan. 1, followed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) with 134 and Lujan Grisham with 115.
Governors have been issuing 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 16 states have issued fewer than five orders since the start of the year, and those in six states have yet to issue any orders. In states with a Republican trifecta, governors issued 482 orders, while governors in states with a Democratic trifecta issued 245. 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 83 orders.
