Georgia And Florida Governors Lead In Executive Orders Issued

State governors issued 39 executive orders from Nov. 13-26. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) led the field with 19, followed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) with seven. Governors in 37 states issued the fewest orders with zero.

Governors use executive orders to manage executive branch operations. The 39 executive orders account for 3% of the year-to-date total of 1,436. Kemp leads with 492 orders issued since Jan. 1, followed by DeSantis with 226 and New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) with 142.

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 17 states have issued fewer than five orders since the start of the year. In states with a Republican trifecta, governors issued 912 orders, while governors in states with a Democratic trifecta issued 375. 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 149 orders.

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