The draft aims to move the Oregon border 200 miles to the west, so that several counties would lie within Idaho state lines. Those behind the effort claim that the move would allow residents to benefit from lower tax rates and to have their interests better represented at the legislative level.
They also argue that the move westward would be a boon to conservative voters ostracized by left-wing authorities that push harmful ‘progressive’ policies.
Oregon residents have seen a spike in crime, especially drug-related. Notably, locals blame liberal legislators for decriminalizing drug possession. State policymakers adopted a law in 2021 under which police would simply give out $100 fine tickets to addicts in place of criminal prosecutions.
On top of that, the ticket would be cancelled if the detained underwent treatment and agreed to a health assessment. The move ultimately proved pointless, as drug users ignored over 95 percent of the tickets.
Though not legislatively binding, the vote signals to state and federal representatives that residents support talks on being anexed by Idaho.