Another rural part of Oregon votes to join Idaho in favour of red state

More than 60 per cent of people voted in favour of Harney County becoming part of Idaho

Harney County is the latest location to join the “Greater Idaho” effort, which is campaigning to re-classify certain counties as Idaho, instead of Oregon.

The small rural Oregon county, with around 7,500 people, voted in favour of the move. More than 60 per cent of those who cast their ballots voted in favour of becoming Idaho. Harney is the eighth county to want to move boundaries and become part of a more conservative state.

“We promote the idea of creating a greater (bigger & stronger) Idaho so that conservative counties can become a part of a red state,” states the Greater Idaho movement, which claims it’s a “win-win” for everyone.

“Rural Oregon is declaring as loudly as it can that it does not consent to being misgoverned by Oregon’s leadership and chooses to be governed as part of a state that understands rural Oregon’s values and way of making a living,” said Mike McCarter, president of Move Oregon’s Border for a Greater Idaho. “We call on the Oregon Legislature to not dare to hold these counties captive. Let the people decide which legislature they shall govern themselves by.”

A recent poll shows that Idaho is ready to accept the Oregon counties. The poll, organised by Trafalgar Group, surveyed 1,100 Idahoan voters. Fifty-one per cent of people voted in favour of Oregon counties merging into Idaho. While 35 per cent of those polled opposed the idea and 14 per cent remained undecided.

Reasons for agreeing with the move included “protecting Oregon counties from Portland politicians” and “adding prosperous counties to Idaho would help Idaho’s budget, which means Idaho tax rates could be reduced.”

The movement proposes to absorb three-quarters of Oregon’s land plus parts of Northern California into Idaho.

Changing state borders is not a simple process, both state legislatures would have to sign off on the changes, plus US Congress.

Counties Union, Baker, Grant, Lake, Malheur, Jefferson and Sherman have also voted to move state lines. The Klamath and Douglas counties will vote next.