Greater Idaho movement

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As of May 2024, thirteen counties in Oregon (shown in red) had approved ballot measures in favor of Greater Idaho.

The Greater Idaho movement is a conservative effort in the United States for counties east of the Oregon Cascades, and eventually portions of Northern California,[1] to secede from the state of Oregon and join Idaho.[2][3][4] If approved locally by voters via ballot measures, it would need approval from the state legislatures of both Oregon and Idaho and the federal Congress.[5][6]

Background and rationale[edit]

Eastern Oregon is relatively rural and conservative, compared to more heavily populated, more politically liberal western urban areas. Those same western urban areas have a majority in the Oregon Legislative Assembly. Idaho is largely conservative compared to Oregon, motivating some conservatives in eastern Oregon to advocate for relocating the border.[7] Oregon governor Tina Kotek acknowledged the movement in 2023 saying, "I think there are a lot of Oregonians who are frustrated and don’t feel heard. That, I think, is what the movement is about."[8]

A number of state laws differ dramatically between Oregon and Idaho.[9] The drug policy of Oregon is among the most permissive in the nation, including the legalization of recreational marijuana and decriminalization of personal possession of all illicit drugs. The Idaho state legislature opposes the rise of marijuana dispensaries in eastern Oregon serving customers from the Boise metro area; by moving the border further west, it could increase the travel time to the nearest dispensaries, which is about an hour.[7] In addition to changes in tax policy and minimum wages, abortion access is also starkly different between the two states, with Idaho having a total ban on abortion while Oregon imposes no legal restrictions by statute.

Timeline[edit]

In 2020, the group called "Move Oregon's Border for a Greater Idaho" proposed breaking off most of Oregon's area and some of Northern California and join it with Idaho. In 2021, five counties in eastern Oregon voted to "require county officials to take steps to promote" adding the counties to Idaho.[10] As of May 2024, thirteen counties in Oregon had approved ballot measures in favor of Greater Idaho: Baker, Crook, Grant, Harney, Jefferson, Klamath, Lake, Malheur, Morrow, Sherman, Union, Wallowa, and Wheeler.[11][12]

In May 2022, voters in Douglas and Josephine counties rejected proposals to join, causing the proponents to scale back the scope of the proposal and issue a "less ambitious" map that excludes Southern Oregon west of Klamath County. The reduced scope includes only Oregon’s eastern territory save for small portions of Deschutes and Wasco counties. The latest map only covers about one third of the originally targeted areas. The majority of the remaining inhabitants live in Umatilla County, which is home to Hermiston and Pendleton, the two largest cities in the region. As of May 2023, Umatilla County has not shown enough interest to place the issue on the ballot.[citation needed]

In February 2023, the House State Affairs committee of the Idaho House of Representatives approved a resolution to authorize the legislature to discuss moving the state border with Oregon lawmakers.[13] This was subsequently passed by the Idaho House of Representatives.[14] A similar bill was introduced in the Oregon State Senate; Senate President Rob Wagner stated that it was unlikely that the bill would move forward in the 2023 session.[15] In May 2023, Wallowa County approved a ballot measure in favor of Greater Idaho by just seven votes.[16][17]

As of February 2024, Gilliam County and Umatilla County have yet to entertain the concept on the ballot.[18]

On May 21, 2024, Crook County voted in favor of Measure 7-86 advising the Crook County Court that voters supported continued negotiations regarding relocating the Oregon-Idaho border to include Crook County within the Idaho border.[19][20] This makes it the 13th county in Oregon that has passed a similar ballot measure resulting in the majority of Counties in the proposed Greater Idaho map having voted in favor. That same election cycle, Dennis Linthicum, the Oregon state senator who introduced the 2023 bill in the Oregon Legislature, became the Republican nominee for Oregon Secretary of State.

Countywide votes in Oregon to secede and join Idaho
Date County Support Oppose Ballot
measure 		Ref.
No. % No. %
November 3, 2020 Douglas 26,981 43.32% 35,297 56.68% 10-180 [21]
November 3, 2020 Jefferson 5,757 50.90% 5,553 49.10% 16-96 [22]
November 3, 2020 Union 7,435 52.40% 6,753 47.60% 31-101
November 3, 2020 Wallowa 2,478 49.59% 2,519 50.41% 32-003 [23]
May 18, 2021 Baker 3,346 57.49% 2,474 42.51% 1-104 [24]
May 18, 2021 Grant 1,471 62.15% 896 37.85% 12-77 [25]
November 2, 2021 Harney 1,583 63.22% 921 36.78% 13-18 [26]
May 18, 2021 Lake 1,510 74.64% 513 25.36% 19-35 [27]
May 18, 2021 Malheur 3,059 54.13% 2,592 45.87% 23-64 [28]
May 18, 2021 Sherman 430 62.32% 260 37.68% 28-46 [29]
May 17, 2022 Douglas 16,791 47.37% 18,659 52.63% 10-185 [30]
May 17, 2022 Josephine 13,619 48.70% 14,344 51.30% 17-106 [31]
May 17, 2022 Klamath 9,649 57.00% 7,278 43.00% 18-121 [32]
November 8, 2022 Morrow 2,386 60.7% 1,546 39.3% 25-88 [33]
November 8, 2022 Wheeler 472 58.56% 334 41.44% 35-29 [34]
May 16, 2023 Wallowa 1,752 50.10% 1,745 49.90% 32-007
May 21, 2024 Crook 5,086 53.44% 4,432 46.56% 7-86 [35]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Phase 2 Greater Idaho maps - the Greater Idaho movement". Retrieved December 18, 2023.
  2. ^ "Some Oregonians Want To Leave And Take Part Of The State To Idaho With Them". NPR. Washington, D.C. February 24, 2020. Archived from the original on February 25, 2020. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
  3. ^ "Ballot-initiative effort to move eastern Oregon counties to Idaho gains momentum; leader calls it 'peaceful revolution'". The Oregonian. Portland, Oregon. February 17, 2020. Archived from the original on February 26, 2020. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
  4. ^ Merzbach, Hanna (November 9, 2020). "Movement to form 'Greater Idaho' gains steam as two rural Oregon counties vote to consider joining Idaho". KGW8 News. Archived from the original on November 10, 2020. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
  5. ^ Sahakian, Teny (November 18, 2020). "Rural Oregon counties vote to discuss seceding from state to join 'Greater Idaho'". Fox News. Archived from the original on November 19, 2020. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  6. ^ "Idaho lawmakers hear pitch to absorb three-fourths of Oregon". The Oregonian. Associated Press. April 12, 2021. Archived from the original on March 8, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  7. ^ a b Kirk Siegler (April 1, 2023). "State line pot shops latest flashpoint in Idaho-Oregon border debate". NPR. Archived from the original on April 28, 2023. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  8. ^ "Proposed 'Greater Idaho' movement would consume 3 of Oregon's 7 Wonders". KOIN.com. February 28, 2023. Archived from the original on May 22, 2023. Retrieved May 22, 2023.
  9. ^ Clark Corbin, Idaho Capital Sun (February 16, 2023). "Greater Idaho resolution passes Idaho House; calls for talks with Oregon over moving border". oregonlive. Archived from the original on March 24, 2023. Retrieved May 22, 2023.
  10. ^ Oregonian/OregonLive, Douglas Perry | The (May 19, 2021). "More Oregon counties vote to consider joining Idaho, part of rural effort to 'gain political refuge from blue states'". oregonlive. Archived from the original on March 31, 2023. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
  11. ^ Sierra, Antonio (November 9, 2022). "Greater Idaho ballot measures pass in two more Oregon counties". OPB. Archived from the original on February 18, 2023. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  12. ^ Stites, Sam (May 24, 2022). "Greater Idaho movement scales back plan for Oregon annexation". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Archived from the original on April 3, 2023. Retrieved April 15, 2024. The May 17 losses caused leaders to issue the 'less ambitious' map as part of what they called 'phase 1' of their project. The reduced scope includes only 15 counties representing roughly 386,000 Oregonians, a little more than a third of the original map's 900,000 in population. According to backers, the area outlines 64% of Oregon's landmass but just 9% of its population.
  13. ^ "Greater Idaho push moves to House floor". Boise State Public Radio. February 13, 2023. Archived from the original on February 13, 2023. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  14. ^ Corbin, Clark (February 15, 2023). "Idaho House passes nonbinding measure calling for formal 'Greater Idaho' talks". Idaho Capital Sun. Archived from the original on March 8, 2023. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  15. ^ "Idaho passes bill to discuss Greater Idaho border relocation". KOIN.com. February 15, 2023. Archived from the original on May 22, 2023. Retrieved May 22, 2023.
  16. ^ Oregonian/OregonLive, Lisa Moreno | The (May 19, 2023). "7 votes divide Wallowa County on Greater Idaho measure". oregonlive. Archived from the original on May 21, 2023. Retrieved May 22, 2023.
  17. ^ Kornick, Lindsay | The (June 18, 2023). "Wallowa County became the 12th Oregon county to join the "Greater Idaho" movement when special election results on the measure were finalized Tuesday". Foxnew.com. Archived from the original on June 8, 2023. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  18. ^ Vasilogambros, Matt (September 6, 2023). "An eastern Oregon effort to join Idaho reflects the growing American divide". Washington State Standard. Archived from the original on October 1, 2023. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
  19. ^ https://www.centraloregondaily.com/news/prineville/greater-idaho-movement-crook-county-results/article_62579a10-17a7-11ef-a024-576cf18cface.html
  20. ^ https://ballotpedia.org/Crook_County,_Oregon,_Measure_7-86,_Greater_Idaho_Measure_(May_2024)
  21. ^ "Official Final Results Summary: Douglas County General Election". Douglas County Oregon. November 20, 2020. Archived from the original on May 22, 2024. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  22. ^ "State of Oregon Abstract of Votes". Jefferson County, Oregon. November 19, 2020. Archived from the original on May 23, 2024. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  23. ^ "Wallowa County, Oregon: General Election" (PDF). Ballotpedia. November 3, 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 22, 2024. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  24. ^ "Custom Table Report: Baker County Special District Election" (PDF). Baker County, Oregon. June 3, 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 22, 2024. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  25. ^ "Election Results - Abstract of Votes". Grant County, Oregon. April 4, 2023. Archived from the original on May 23, 2024. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  26. ^ "Official Abstract of Votes" (PDF). Harney County, Oregon. November 17, 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 22, 2024. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  27. ^ "Lake County, Oregon: Special District Election" (PDF). Revize. May 20, 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 22, 2024. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  28. ^ "Special District Election Results" (PDF). Malheur County, Oregon. June 2, 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 22, 2024. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  29. ^ "Sherman County Nilay 2021 Special District Election" (PDF). Sherman County, Oregon. June 2, 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 8, 2022. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  30. ^ "Official Final Results: Douglas County, May17, 2022 Primary Election". Douglas County, Oregon. June 8, 2022. Archived from the original on May 22, 2024. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  31. ^ "Statement of Votes Cast: May 17, 2022, Primary Election: Josephine County, Oregon" (PDF). Revize. June 10, 2022. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 22, 2024. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  32. ^ "Statement of Votes Cast by Geography: Klamath, Primary, May 17, 2022". Klamath County, Oregon. June 10, 2022. Archived from the original on May 23, 2024. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  33. ^ "Morrow County November 2022 General Election" (PDF). Morrow County, Oregon. December 2, 2022. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 22, 2024. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  34. ^ "Wheeler County 2022 General Election". Box. December 1, 2022. Retrieved May 23, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  35. ^ Staff, Central Oregon Daily News (May 21, 2024). "Crook County voters approving Greater Idaho measure". Central Oregon Daily. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
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