Crook County commissioners ask Oregon lawmakers to talk with Idaho counterparts about moving state border

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) - On Wednesday, Crook County commissioners became the latest to formally request "continued discussions" between Oregon and Idaho lawmakers concerning moving the Oregon border, as proposed by the Greater Idaho movement and supported by a majority of voters in 13 Oregon counties.  

Crook is now the eighth county in Central and Eastern Oregon to send such a letter.  

Crook County became the 13th Oregon county to pass a "Greater Idaho" ballot measure earlier this year, when voters passed an advisory measure saying they wished to become part of Idaho.  

The letter, addressed to state Senator Lynn Findley and Representative Vikki Breese-Iverson, reads in part, "The county has watched what began as a small initiative petition grow into a burgeoning grassroots movement with support across much of the state."  Later in the letter, the board expresses that they wish to support the will of their voters by encouraging border relocation discussions.

"We applaud the commissioners for listening to their constituents and advocating for them by requesting action from state leaders," said Matt McCaw, executive director of the movement.  "This is how the system is supposed to work.  The people of Eastern Oregon have done what they can, and that's make their wishes known at the ballot box.  We now need the people who represent us to pick up the ball and carry this conversation forward to the Legislature."

The Greater Idaho movement began putting votes to counties in 2020 and seeks to move the Oregon/Idaho border westward so that the traditionally conservative eastern counties would join the state of Idaho, which the movement says better matches Eastern Oregonian values.  

The group believes that moving the border would create a win-win situation for both Oregon and Idaho by better matching voters to state governance and would lower political tension across the state.  State lines can be moved through a process called an interstate compact.  

The change would require the approval of both states' legislatures, as well as the US Congress.  In 2023, the Idaho House passed a Memorial resolution inviting the state of Oregon to begin border talks.