Five eastern Oregon counties — conservative areas overwhelmed by deep blue Portland — voted Tuesday to leave the state and join the state of Idaho.
Baker, Grant, Lake, Malheur, and Sherman counties join Union and Jefferson, which voted last year to require county officials to study or promote joining Idaho, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported.
The grassroots group Move Oregon’s Border for a Greater Idaho wants to move Oregon’s mostly rural eastern and southern counties — and a few northern California counties — into Idaho, believing they’d be better served in Idaho’s more conservative political environment.
“This election proves that rural Oregon wants out of Oregon. If Oregon really believes in liberal values such as self-determination, the Legislature won’t hold our counties captive against our will,” said Mike McCarter, president of Citizens for Greater Idaho.
“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,” he said.
According to the group, the election turnout was 43 percent of eligible voters — far above the average of 25 percent. Support varied, from as 54 percent in Malheur County to as high 74 percent in Lake County.
“Sherman County voted for a ballot initiative that makes county commissioners responsible for promoting ‘the interests of the County in the relocation of Idaho state borders,’” the group said.
The other four “voted for a ballot initiative that requires county commissioners to meet periodically to ‘discuss how to promote the interests of [the county] in any negotiations regarding relocations of Idaho state borders.”
The group hopes political pressure from county initiative votes will lead to negotiations between Oregon and Idaho to move the border, putting up to 22 of Oregon’s 36 counties in Idaho.
The chances of those counties joining Idaho are very slim, however. The move would require approval from both Oregon and Idaho legislatures and the U.S. Congress.
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. https://t.co/AhMdK4ocTF pic.twitter.com/OnuyaxuF1S
— the Greater Idaho movement (@GreaterIdaho) May 19, 2021
The Associated Press contributed to this article