13 Counties in Oregon Vote in Favor of Secession Measure

On Tuesday, Crook County, Oregon, voted in support of a ballot measure to begin negotiations to secede from the state and join Idaho.

The movement known as Greater Idaho seeks to move the border between Oregon and Idaho to include 14 full eastern Oregon counties and 3 partial ones. According to the group’s website, the Crook vote now brings the total to 13 counties that have passed Greater Idaho measures. In 2023, the Idaho House passed a memorial inviting the Oregon Legislation to begin border talks.

“The voters of eastern Oregon have spoken loudly and clearly about their desire to see border talks move forward. With this latest result in Crook County, there’s no excuse left for the Legislature and Governor to continue to ignore the people’s wishes. We call on the Governor, Speaker of the House, and Senate President to sit down with us and discuss next steps towards changing governance for eastern Oregonians, as well as for the legislature to begin holding hearings on what a potential border change will look like,” said Greater Idaho Executive Director Matt McCaw in a statement.

Divisions have grown during the last decade between ultra left-wing Portland, which includes its neighboring coastal counties, and the rest of the state. While the heavily populated western portion of Oregon continues to experiment with liberal social experiments, the eastern side of the state is aligned with its more traditional neighbor, Idaho.

“The Oregon/Idaho line was established 163 years ago and is now outdated,” read the movement’s website. “It makes no sense in its current location because it doesn’t match the location of the cultural divide in Oregon.”

On Wednesday, Lake County planned to have its second meeting of the Greater Idaho movement where attendees will discuss plans to move the Oregon Idaho state line. Back in November of 2023, counties Morrow and Wheeler voted to request that the Legislature redraw the state’s border to allow them to join the more conservative Idaho.

The Daily Mail noted that the last time the Oregon state line was moved was in 1958, although it was a slight adjustment. A 2023 poll from NewsNation found that a full quarter of the country supported secession of some form.