Several Pacific Coast Counties Voted to Secede from the US [but they will still be Subject to a Master. Apparently, Antartica is the Only Land Mass with No Government (no master)]

From [HERE] Three Pacific Coast state counties voted earlier this month to support leaving their respective states in a sign of recent local support for secessionist efforts. Residents in Morrow and Wheeler Counties in Oregon and San Bernardino County in California have voted to leave and either join a pre-existing state or create a new one entirely.

These three counties join a handful of recent locations in the American West that have already expressed support for changing current state borders. These additional counties are all currently located in Oregon and include Malheur, Harney, Lake, Klamath, Baker, Grant, Union, Jefferson, and Sherman Counties. Earlier votes were also held in Oregon’s Josephine, Douglass, and Wallowa Counties but were defeated.

A map of Greater Idaho as proposed by the official movement responsible for greateridaho.org.

Partition and secession are not entirely uncommon in the United States. Various efforts to create new states from pre-existing areas or to adjust current borders have long been a part of American history. Some of these efforts, such as what transpired in Morrow and Wheeler Counties, are part of a more considerable effort known by supporters as Greater Idaho.

For backers of the Greater Idaho movement, addressing the polarized culture of Oregon means readjusting the borders to cede up to fifteen of the more-culturally conservative regions of Eastern Oregon to neighboring Idaho. To its supporters, the simplest way to address the divided political culture is to divide the state—quite literally. For both Morrow and Wheeler Counties, support for reconsidering the border passed by sizable margins. Morrow County saw 60.6% of voters back leaving Oregon for Idaho, whereas Wheeler County saw a slightly lower 58.6% of voters support the same.

Alternatively, voters in San Bernardino County who feel out-of-touch with the rest of California approved Measure EE, signaling support for creating an entirely new state known as Empire State or, at the least, support advocacy for additional resources.

San Bernardino County is significantly more divided, with margins coming in razor-thin. Efforts to leave were born from organized resistance to high taxation and unfunded mandates when a group of local San Bernardino politicians and residents banded together to force the California state government to be more mindful of their needs. However, unlike what transpired in Oregon, San Bernardino County’s support for secession was much more narrow, with only 50.5% of voters backing the measure.

Forming a new state is a challenging task. First, for hypothetical locations like Empire, the California legislature must vote favorably in recognizing the new state. Then, once the legislature approves, Empire still needs to secure congressional recognition as a new state.

In contrast, readjusting a pre-existing border entails challenges of its own. For example, suppose Oregon and Idaho agree to the separation in their respective legislatures. In that case, the two states will still need to develop a mutually agreed-upon interstate compact.

What comes next for Empire is yet to be seen. Efforts to expand Greater Idaho remain underway. Wallowa County, an Oregon county that initially rejected support for Greater Idaho in 2020, will vote again on a future referendum.