7 rural counties in Oregon have voted in favor of an effort to become part of Idaho.
Leaders of the Greater Idaho movement, which seeks to transfer more than 70% of Oregon’s land to Idaho, say Oregon’s Legislature doesn’t represent rural residents. ⬇️
businessinsider.com/oregons-rural-…
Ballot measures in the counties called on county officials to consider the move.
Last week, 5 counties voted for the effort, bringing the total to 7. Leaders of the movement said it started at the beginning of the pandemic after Oregon’s GOP tried to recall @OregonGovBrown.
Greater Idaho’s president, Mike McCarter, said the proposed new border would encompass 18 full and 3 partial Oregon counties and account for about 860,000 people.
That’s only about 21% of Oregon’s population, but it would represent 70% of its land.
businessinsider.com/oregons-rural-…
Changing the border would require approval of Oregon’s and Idaho’s legislatures and the US Congress.
McCarter sees no reason why it wouldn’t pass. In the seven counties that voted for the effort, support ranged from 54% to 74%.
businessinsider.com/oregons-rural-…
Ems and McCarter said the push to join Idaho centered on Oregonians living in rural areas who don’t feel represented by the Legislature.
Most of the population lives in urban centers and skews Democratic, while people living in rural areas skew Republican.
Ems said that the majority had “no incentive” to include people in the rural parts in their decision-making and that people living in “concrete jungles” were telling those “who live and steward the land how to run their land.”
businessinsider.com/oregons-rural-…
McCarter said the group’s Facebook page was shut down on Jan. 6 and labeled as insurrectionist.
Ems wanted to be clear that this isn’t a secession effort but a move to align the rural parts of Oregon with a government that best speaks for them.
businessinsider.com/oregons-rural-…
Despite a lack of conversation with Oregon’s Legislature, McCarter said it could start paying attention to their cause now that seven counties have voted in favor of the Greater Idaho movement. businessinsider.com/oregons-rural-…
📥 Sign up for our free newsletter, 10 Things in Politics You Need to Know Today.
It’s a daily look inside Capitol Hill and the top political and economic news — delivered directly to your inbox.
newsletter.businessinsider.com/join/10-things…
Share this Scrolly Tale with your friends.
A Scrolly Tale is a new way to read Twitter threads with a more visually immersive experience.
Discover more beautiful Scrolly Tales like this.