Another Oregon county looks to join Idaho

BURNS, Ore. (AP) — Another rural, conservative county in Oregon has expressed interest in becoming part of Idaho.

The OregonianLive reports that voters in Harney County on Tuesday approved a ballot measure which requires local officials to hold meetings about moving the county into Idaho.

The measure passed with more than 63% of the vote.  Harney became the eighth of Oregon’s 36 counties to vote for considering adjusting Oregon’s border to put much of rural eastern and southern Oregon in Idaho.

These ballot initiatives are non-binding. If Idaho and Oregon were to negotiate a border adjustment, the U.S. Congress would have to sign off on it.

The other counties that have voted for a similar initiative are: Baker, Grant, Jefferson, Lake, Malheur, Sherman and Union.