Handful of Oregon counties vote to consider move into Idaho

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Five eastern Oregon counties have voted in support of considering becoming part of Idaho.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports Baker, Grant, Lake, Malheur and Sherman counties joined Union and Jefferson with the Tuesday vote.

Those counties voted last year to require county officials to study or promote joining Idaho.

The chances of the counties joining Idaho are slim as it would require votes by both Oregon and Idaho legislatures and the U.S. Congress.

The grassroots group Move Oregon’s Border for a Greater Idaho wants to move Oregon’s mostly rural eastern and southern counties -- plus a few northern counties in California -- into Idaho, believing they’d be better served in Idaho’s more conservative political environment.