On Tuesday, Umatilla County—located in northeastern Oregon—joined Southern Oregon counties Josephine and Douglas to become the third rural Oregon county to pass a petition asking voters if they would like to move their county to Idaho, according to the group Move Oregon’s Border for a Greater Idaho, a political nonprofit organization.
The petition will need to gather at least 1,477 valid signatures in order for it to appear as a measure on the November ballot for Umatilla County. If voters pass the measure, it would compel county commissioners to participate in future negotiations regarding Umatilla County’s admittance to Idaho, according to the East Oregonian.
However, the final decision to redraw state borders would have to be approved by both the Oregon and Idaho legislatures, as well as Congress, making the Greater Idaho movement unlikely to succeed.
HOWEVER, IDAHO GOVERNOR DIGS THE IDEA: In an interview with Fox News, Idaho Gov. Brad Little said he understands why some rural Oregonians want to redraw the borders.
“They’re looking at Idaho fondly because of our regulatory atmosphere, our values,” Little told Fox News. “What they’re interested [in] is they would like to have a little more autonomy, a little more control, a little more freedom and I can understand that.”
Brad Little welcomes the counties of Oregon, saying, “it’s their call,” but said Idaho would still be called Idaho.
“No matter what happens, we’ll maintain our name,” Little said.
By Tanveer Sandhu
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