New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) issued one executive order from March 20-26. As of March 26, Lujan Grisham has issued 39 executive orders in 2023 — 25 more than she did at this point a year ago. The order is:
- Executive Order 2023-039, where the governor ordered flags flown at half-staff to commemorate former Navajo Nation President Ben Shelly.
Governors use executive orders to manage executive branch operations. During the week of March 20-26, the nation’s governors issued 20 executive orders. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) issued the most with six. Governors in 38 states issued the fewest with zero. Democratic governors issued five of the 20 orders, while Republican governors issued 15.
Lujan Grisham has served as governor since Jan. 1, 2019. She issued 165 executive orders in 2022 and 68 in 2021. Nationally, governors issued at least 1,559 executive orders in 2022. Governors have issued 369 executive orders in 2023. Republican governors issued 229, while Democratic governors issued 140. New Mexico is a Democratic trifecta, meaning Democrats control the governorship and both chambers of the state legislature.
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