Cooper issues one executive order first week of May

North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper issued one executive order from May 1-7.

As of Sunday, Cooper has issued six executive orders in 2023 – eight fewer than he did at this point a year ago. The order is:

Executive Order No. 280, where the governor declared the state’s commitment to building an age-friendly state.

Governors use executive orders to manage executive branch operations. During the week of May 1-7, the nation’s governors issued 26 executive orders. Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis issued the most with 16. Governors in 41 states issued the fewest orders with zero. Republican governors issued 19 of the 26 orders, while Democratic governors issued seven.

Cooper has served as governor since Jan. 1, 2017. He issued 31 executive orders in 2022 and 58 in 2021.

Nationally, governors issued at least 1,558 executive orders in 2022. Governors have issued 568 executive orders in 2023. Republican governors issued 371, while Democratic governors issued 197. North Carolina is a divided government, meaning neither party holds trifecta control.