What a night! We’re still parsing out the 2024 general election results, but what can we say now about efforts to Move Oregon’s Border for a Greater Idaho?

Idaho quickly tabulated and posted results thanks to its vote-in-person, single-day system https://sos.idaho.gov/elections-division/election-results/. Oregon, with a fully vote-by-mail system will be counting for another 7 days, although trends are available on Oregon’s website: https://sos.oregon.gov/voting/Pages/current-election.aspx.

Both states rejected future voting complexity by voting down ranked choice voting. Idaho by 70% and Oregon by 60% (although Multnomah and Hood River counties voted in favor of RCV). Idaho also approved (by 65%) a constitutional amendment where only US citizens may vote in future Idaho elections.

In the presidential race, Oregon voted 55% in favor of Harris, with Idaho voting 67% in favor of Trump. Approximately half of the Haris votes came from the Portland and Eugene areas (Multnomah, Lane, and Washington counties). The 13 Greater Idaho counties voted an average of 72% in favor of Trump, even more than Idaho!

Greater Idaho counties voted for strong Oregon Republican candidates for Secretary of State, Attorney General, and Treasurer ranging between 60 and 80%. By sheer population, Portland, Eugene, and Corvallis voted down these high-quality Republican candidates in favor of Democratic cogs in a machine that have held a trifecta over Oregon’s house, senate, and governorship since 2007.

All of Oregon’s counties rejected Measure 118, which would have set up universal basic income by imposing the nation’s highest corporate tax. Unfortunately, businesses had to invest over $15 million to defeat the measure.

Idaho Republicans are celebrating as the Republican supermajority got even more super and some freedom caucus conservatives are replacing some main street Republicans. Democrats will represent 13% of the legislative seats in 2025. While local elections in Boise proper maintained democratic strongholds, Legislative District 15 west of Boise replaced a Democratic senator with a Republican. Formerly Democratic house seats were also picked up by Republicans in the district representing Pocatello and the district representing central Idaho (Sun Valley and vicinity).

Even though 2022 Oregon voters narrowly prevented a Democratic supermajority, the senate supermajority will be back in the 2025 session, with a house supermajority not yet finalized but likely. This means Oregon’s legislature can pass new taxes without any Republican votes. With transportation and education packages on the legislative agenda, Greater Idaho counties can expect to pay more for what they don’t normally want.

Three measures to change GI regular meeting requirements in Baker, Lake and Malheur counties were voted down. These measures being defeated, despite no opposition from our movement, show that Greater Idaho supporters want more advocacy out of their county commissioners, not less.

Election results show how consistent Umatilla and Gilliam counties (the two E OR counties yet to vote on Greater Idaho) vote with the 13 current greater Idaho counties. Douglas and Josephine counties also show strong similarities with Greater Idaho voting. Coos, Curry, and Linn counties aren’t far off. This points to support for completing the greater Idaho phase 1 plan and moving onto phase 2 for southwest Oregon counties. Linn County’s overlap with Greater Idaho voting is something to consider. However, geographic complications are still posed by Jackson and Deschutes counties, which tend to vote like Oregon’s westside municipal counties.

The election results make clear, Greater Idaho’s efforts are more important than ever as western Oregon continues to diverge from our interests.