Could 'Greater Idaho' Happen? Five Oregon Counties Vote to Secede and Join Idaho

Nick Kangadis | May 21, 2021
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It seems like there’s at least one major update every year for the last couple of years concerning the movement to create a “Greater Idaho.” For those that might not know, the “Greater Idaho” movement consists of people from Eastern Oregon and Northern California who want to get away from the policies of those states’ major cities that dictate how everyone lives.

MRCTV reported in February that five Oregon counties would be voting on whether they want to secede from the state and join Idaho. Well, the vote is in.

On Tuesday, Baker, Grant, Lake, Malheur and Sherman counties voted to leave Oregon, joining Jefferson and Union counties, who voted to leave last year.

According to the Greater Idaho organizational website, the five counties averaged 62 percent in favor and 38 percent who were opposed.

President of Citizens for Greater Idaho Mike McCarter indicated that officials in Idaho are all for the move.

“Idaho’s governor and the leadership of both houses of the Idaho legislature support the border relocation, and dozens of legislators have indicated their support, according to McCarter,” the website reported McCarter as saying. “He said Idaho state Rep. Barbara Ehardt (R) and Rep. Judy Boyle (R) plan to introduce legislation toward that goal in January.”

While the vote is a step in the right direction for the Greater Idaho movement, actual secession presents a low degree of likelihood as both the Oregon and Idaho legislatures would have to approve the move, followed by the action being approved by the U.S. Congress, as reported by Business Insider.

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