5 more Oregon counties support joining Idaho

BOISE – Voters in five more Oregon counties have indicated their support for a movement to shift the state’s border and join Idaho.

Sherman, Lake, Grant, Baker and Malheur counties voted Tuesday to urge their commissioners to support or consider annexing to Idaho, a state more aligned with rural Oregonians’ political beliefs compared to the Democrat-dominated Oregon government. Those five counties join two others, Union and Jefferson, which last year passed measures to support the movement.

“This election proves that rural Oregon wants out of Oregon,” said Mike McCarter, president and founder of Move Oregon’s Border for a Greater Idaho, a nonprofit. “If Oregon really believes in liberal values such as self-determination, the Legislature won’t hold our counties captive against our will. If we’re allowed to vote for which government officials we want, we should be allowed to vote for which government we want as well.”

In Sherman County, 429 residents (62%) voted in favor of a ballot measure directing their county government to “promote” the idea to shift Oregon’s border; 260 people voted against it. Lake (74% in favor), Grant (62%), Baker (57%) and Malheur (54%) counties passed measures requiring their commissioners to meet periodically to discuss the movement.

McCarter said the measures provide an “indication of what rural Oregonians are thinking.” The county-by-county measures have no legal leverage on the Oregon Legislature. “It just passes the word up,” McCarter said.

The Oregon Legislature, Idaho Legislature and U.S. Congress would need to approve the secession. State legislators on both sides of the border have said they’re open to the idea.

Rep. Barbara Ehardt, R-Idaho Falls, helped coordinate a Move Oregon’s Border presentation in April at the Idaho Statehouse.

“Why not have the conversation? It’s an intriguing idea,” Ehardt said. “There absolutely are benefits to the idea. It’s not necessarily something that would happen right away. Oregon, and I dare say Washington and even California, is pushing forward to try to make this happen and get the support for this move. And as Idahoans, I think we should do our part to at least have the conversation.”

Douglas, Harney and Crook are the next counties targeted for possible votes to move Oregon’s border. In total, 21 Oregon counties, located east of the Cascade mountain range and south of the Willamette Valley (home to Portland), are included in the group’s vision of a “Greater Idaho.” Rural counties in northern California are included as well.

Voters in Douglas and Wallowa counties last year voted down similar measures.