New county joins movement to leave Oregon and join Idaho

Another Oregon county has voted in favor of breaking away from the state and joining more conservative Idaho, making it the 12th county to do so.

Wallowa County held the vote in May and had its vote finalized this month, with the measure passing by seven votes. Wallowa now joins 11 other counties, including Harney, Baker, Jefferson, and Lake, in joining the “Greater Idaho” movement, according to Fox News.

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The movement originally started in 2020 with the intent of rural eastern Oregon counties splitting from the more Democratic-leaning part of the state and joining Idaho. If those counties did join Idaho, the Gem State’s population would rise by 21%.

Gov. Brad Little (R-ID) told the Washington Examiner in a statement that he understands why many people “want to be Idahoans,” and that those people look toward the state for its “strong economy, regulatory atmosphere, and our values.

“Still, the decision to change Idaho and Oregon’s borders would need to go through both states’ legislatures and the U.S. Congress for approval,” said Little. “There’s a lot that needs to happen before moving the border is within the realm of possibility.”

The next county to vote on joining Greater Idaho is Crook County. Recently, the Crook County court voted in favor of putting the proposal up for a vote on the May 2024 ballot.

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In Oregon, most Democrats oppose the idea of the eastern counties joining Idaho, while some Republicans have spoken in favor of it.

A poll from 2021 found that a majority of Idahoans supported the movement, with 51% in favor, 35% opposed, and 14% undecided. The poll was conducted by the Trafalgar Group, and surveyed a total of 1,100 state residents.