(This story was originally published in The Elevator in June, 2023.)

Communities in Oregon are finally expressing themselves after being tired of their voices not being heard. They are coming together to get the change they want. To get represented and to prove they should be heard.

Now, what does this mean exactly? Counties in eastern Oregon have voted in favor of joining Idaho. This is because these communities feel that they would be represented better, Says Christopher Stout, professor at Oregon State University.

It isn’t hard to imagine why these counties want to leave. The big cities such as Portland don’t represent what the counties in the east are. They think that these cities are too liberal and that they can’t get the representation they deserve by staying, so they would rather leave then be ignored.

Similar Moments in our History

Something similar to this was the Jefferson project. Which was when the south of Oregon and the north of Oregon wanted to come together and create their own state because they would be better represented. But as Chris stout, Professor at the State of Oregon says, it wasn’t taken seriously. 

It was a total failure and ended up being easily forgotten. This was because the people didn’t come together and let their voices be heard. Unlike The Greater Idaho people are actually doing their best to make sure they aren’t being ignored and having counties as a whole come together.

What Would Need to Happen?

But for this to even happen some things have to happen first. Oregon has to agree to let go of the eastern parts of Oregon which is hard to imagine that they would do since they would lose a very important agricultural area. 

Idaho would also need to agree to take the counties from Oregon which would be hard to do because they would need to raise their taxes to accommodate for this which is something that Idaho doesn’t wanna do; Stout says “congress has the final say.” Even if both sides agree which is already unlikely congress has the final vote and that would be hard to get to agree with.

Why has the movement gained so much traction? Well counties have actually voted so much in favor its shown that they are truly unhappy. 

Even though the movement is more likely not gonna happen both Stout and Clucas say this is symbolic because their voices are finally being heard that they want change. That the eastern communities want to have support and be represented the way they want to.

What Would the Effects be?

Now communities in Oregon could be affected in many ways. Starting off in the eastern parts of Oregon. A lot of people in the Eastern parts work for the Government because that is the only way they can survive, but if they joined Idaho they would be paid way less which would make their lives so much more difficult. Not only that but Prisons, schools and universities would get a lot less money from the state which would lower the quality of all of them. 

In the western part of Oregon the cost of agricultural products would rise drastically says Clucas, since the part of the state that handles the agriculture would be gone. 

Laws or Law Change

An important part of Oregon that isn’t really being talked about throughout the movement is the effect that the marijuana industry would suffer from if it did go through. Now this affects both Oregon and Idaho. Clucas says that “People from Idaho come over here for Marijuana.” Now those people come here because weed is illegal in Idaho. 

If the border was moved not only would the people that make the drive to Oregon for it be unable to. The shops in the eastern part of Oregon would simply just not be legally there anymore. Considering how important weed is to some people it is not worth it cutting away something as important as that. This is some important money that comes into Oregon.

Women in eastern Oregon would also lose an important right that they should have. Which is abortion. Since Idaho has completely banned abortion in every way and form. Women would have to figure out another way to go about it or face the issues that come with an abortion in a state where it is illegal.

Political Change

In the small chance that the movement does go through Stout says that the politics would be totally liberal. Not only that but the only way for candidates to win would be to be liberal since that’s what would be supported. 

If it didn’t go through and it all stayed the same nothing would really change except for the fact that there would be more frustration in the eastern part of Oregon since they didn’t get what they wanted. 

The End

Even though this movement may only have a symbolic meaning or way of heading, it still proves that people can come together and show that they can be heard. “Our state is divided economically, socially, culturally, and politically,” says Clucas. 

People are finally coming together to achieve something. There are many differences between our rural and urban areas but no matter what we are together. And as frustration rises without the eastern part of the state, as Stout says. It’s time to work together to build a better state for all.