Crook County's Greater Idaho measure passed, so now what?

In May, Crook County voters approved a ballot measure that expressed citizen support for the Greater Idaho movement.

But what does its passage mean and what can residents expect to happen now?

Voters approved Measure 7-86, an advisory question regarding citizen sentiment for relocation of the Oregon-Idaho border, by a 53.44%-46.56% margin. Crook County is one of 13 Oregon counties whose citizens have voted in support of the Greater Idaho movement.

“The voters of Eastern Oregon have spoken loudly and clearly about their desire to see border talks move forward,” Matt McCaw, executive director of the Greater Idaho movement, said after the vote. “With this latest result in Crook County, there’s no excuse left for the legislature and governor to continue to ignore the people’s wishes. We call on the governor, speaker of the house and senate president to sit down with us and discuss next steps towards changing governance for eastern Oregonians, as well as for the legislature to begin holding hearings on what a potential border change will look like.”

Action is now being taken on Measure 7-86. McCaw attended a July 10 Crook County Board of Commissioners meeting, requesting county officials write a letter asking the governor and Oregon Legislature to begin border talks.

“The county is planning to move forward with sending a letter,” said Commissioner Seth Crawford. The wording of that letter is expected within the next week, he added, and it will be sent soon after that.

From that point forward, it is out of Crook County’s control.

“The passing of (Measure 7-86) did not change the border,” Crawford explained. “The county has no power to do that. All we have the ability to do is to send the will of the voters to the state government, who is the body that would eventually decide to move forward with something like this.”

But the decision isn’t up to just Oregon lawmakers. Moving the state border will also require approval from the Idaho state government as well as Congressional approval.

So far, little official action has taken place. Sen. Dennis Linthicum – who was Crook County’s representative in the Oregon Senate prior to redistricting – once introduced a Greater Idaho bill, but it failed to gain traction. Idaho’s House of Representatives passed a resolution in February 2023, but it only calls for formal talks between Oregon and Idaho lawmakers about relocating the boundary line.

Lawmakers from Oregon and Idaho – one of whom was Rep. Vikki Breese Iverson of Prineville – did meet in Baker City last October to hold an initial discussion about the Greater Idaho movement, but it has not resulted in Oregon lawmakers taking any action on the border.

U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley have addressed the Greater Idaho movement during town halls held in Crook County in 2023 and 2024. Both senators have said a border change is highly unlikely, with Merkley noting that the last time a state border was changed was more than 100 years ago.