May 19, 2021 10:45 a.m.

Residents of five counties in eastern Oregon voted for becoming part of Idaho, on Tuesday.

Mike McCarter, president of Citizens for Greater Idaho said the ballot measures are part of an effort to move the Oregon/Idaho border to extend Idaho’s jurisdiction over rural, conservative counties of eastern and southern Oregon. He said the ballot measures are intended to put pressure on the state legislatures of Oregon and Idaho to negotiate an interstate compact to relocate their common border.

McCarter said, “This election proves that rural Oregon wants out of Oregon”. He said if Oregon really believes in liberal values such as self-determination, “…the Legislature won’t hold our counties captive against our will”.

Sherman County voted for a ballot measure that makes county commissioners responsible for promoting “the interests of the County in the relocation of the Idaho state borders”. McCarter said four other counties- Lake, Grant, Baker and Malheur- voted for a ballot initiative that requires county commissioners to meet periodically to “discuss how to promote the interests of the county in any negotiations regarding relocations of Idaho State borders”.