BOISE, Idaho (CBS2) — Organizers from a movement concisely called "Move Oregon's Border for a Greater Idaho" said it has the go-ahead to petition moving the border in 15 of Oregon's counties.
The group is after signatures from communities with a combined total of about 710,000 residents. If enough signatures are collected in each county, and submitted by August 5, the issue will be on the ballots in November.
Four months ago the group was getting approval for their third county. Now they are up to 15.
Mike McCarter, president of Move Oregon's Border 501(c)(4), said they are not filing a statewide petition. So, only voters of certain counties may sign the movement's petitions.
“Our movement is not dependent on petitions. We are asking the movement in every rural Oregon county to put an equal effort into the parallel strategy of asking their county commissioners to pass a resolution to ‘refer’ an advisory question to the November ballot in their county," McCarter said. "If a county court or a county board refers it to the ballot, we don’t have to collect any more signatures, and they get to let their voters decide."
McCarter might have a little more steam than you might think.
"Politicians who have welcomed the idea of moving the Oregon/Idaho border include Oregon Senate Minority Leader Herman Baertschiger, former Speaker of the Oregon House Mark Simmons, Idaho Governor Brad Little, Idaho Senate Majority Leader Chuck Winder, Idaho Senate State Affairs Chair Patti Ann Lodge, and Idaho House Asst. Majority Leader Jason Monks, among many others," McCarter said.
The movement is most certainly politically motivated; to move republican communities into a republican state.
“[Governor Brown's] decision to mobilize 50 unarmed National Guard is inadequate to the task," McCarter said. "Idaho enforces the rule of law, defends its people, and doesn't foster a culture of criminality, joblessness and homelessness."
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