TALLAHASSEE, Fla., Oct. 27, 2026 —

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an executive order Tuesday establishing "Seminole Wind," the 1992 song by Apopka-born country singer John Anderson, as Florida's Anthem. The governor announced the order in a post on his official X account at 3:04 p.m. ET and attached the signed three-page order, Executive Order 26-222. The order is stamped as filed with the Department of State at 1:55 p.m. on Oct. 27, 2026, and its final section says it is effective immediately.

"Today I issued an Executive Order designating 'Seminole Wind' by John Anderson as the official anthem of Florida," DeSantis wrote. "I have also directed the @FLSecofState to erect historic markers in the City of Apopka depicting John Anderson's contribution to Florida's heritage."

What the order does

  • A new designation. Section 1 establishes "Seminole Wind" as "Florida's Anthem," which the order calls "a separate designation from the State Anthem created under section 15.0326, Florida Statutes, that has had little to no use since its establishment." That state law names "Florida, Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky," by Jan Hinton, as the official state anthem. It was passed in 2008 (chapter 2008-233), and the order does not repeal it.
  • Department of State. Section 2 directs the Secretary of State to update the department's publications, websites, materials and records to make the public aware of the designation, to promote it inside the State Capitol, and to put up historic markers in the City of Apopka in Orange County about Anderson's contributions to Florida's heritage.
  • A wildlife drive with his name. Section 3 directs the Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection to work with the St. Johns River Water Management District to name the wildlife drive and trail system at the Lake Apopka North Shore the John Anderson Wildlife Drive and Trail System.
  • A request to lawmakers. Section 4 encourages the incoming Legislature to write "Seminole Wind" into chapter 15 of the Florida Statutes, the chapter that covers state symbols.

Why the order says Anderson

The order's findings say Anderson was born Dec. 13, 1954, in Apopka, graduated from Apopka High School in 1972, and then went to Nashville to start his music career. It says "Seminole Wind" has served as Florida's unofficial anthem since its 1992 debut, with lyrics honoring the Seminole Tribe of Florida's Osceola and "the conservation-minded spirit of Floridians from Okeechobee to Micanopy." It also says the song helped inspire investment in protecting the Everglades, and that Anderson was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2024 and later into Florida's Artists Hall of Fame at the governor's direction.

What it means for Floridians

Nothing changes in state law today: the 2008 state anthem remains on the books unless the Legislature changes it. Floridians will see the new designation on Department of State materials and, later, on markers in Apopka and signs at the Lake Apopka North Shore wildlife drive. The order does not give dates or costs for the markers or the renaming.

Our requests

Launchpad Digital has asked the Department of State, the Department of Environmental Protection and the St. Johns River Water Management District for comment and will update this story when they respond.

Those are the facts, directly from the source.

Sources: Executive Order 26-222, signed Oct. 27, 2026, as posted by Gov. Ron DeSantis on X; section 15.0326, Florida Statutes (Florida Senate).

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