Crook County officials in central Oregon have taken responsibility for “inadvertently omitting” pro-Greater Idaho movement arguments from a primary election voter’s guide and now face criticism for refusing a possible fix.
Greater Idaho movement leaders say they asked county officials to issue a supplemental page to the guide before sending May 21 primary ballots to voters. On May 1, the county commission rejected their proposal.
“Through no fault of our own, our organization and its supporters have had their political voice minimized and harmed,” said Matt McCaw, Executive Director of the Greater Idaho movement.
“While we understand that mistakes happen, the county has a duty to treat everybody fairly, and where their errors have caused that to not happen, they should remedy the situation in a way that’s acceptable to those who’ve been harmed.”
In a statement, Crook County admitted to having left out both arguments for the local ballot measure 7-86, which seeks to explore joining the state of Idaho.
“The individuals who submitted the arguments have been apprised and are aware,” the statement added.
“The Oregon Secretary of State produces the pamphlet, and they do not issue any supplemental editions. Therefore, there is no means to issue a new or revised Voter’s Pamphlet to include those arguments.”
In their omitted argument, Mr. McCaw and Powell Butte of the Greater Idaho movement wrote: “The right to choose our government is a foundational principle of the United States.
“It’s why we hold votes for government office, redistrict every 10 years, and have an initiative system that allows voters to refer issues directly to the ballot.
“The goal of all of these systems is to get a government that people actually want and that matches their values. Unfortunately for those of us who make Crook County home, these systems have failed to deliver on those goals at the state level.”
In his omitted argument, Move Oregon’s Border President Mike McCarter wrote that “80 percent of the Idaho Legislature is Republican.
“That hasn’t changed in decades because the people moving into the state are about as conservative as the people who are already there and are about as conservative as the people of Crook County.”
“The Idaho Legislature is controlled by representatives from rural districts, who govern according to the concerns and priorities of rural counties.
“Idaho laws and budgets are suited to rural economies and industries and Idaho approves projects that are good for the economy and good for the environment.
“Oregon politicians don’t understand how we make a living. Their decisions damage industries like timber, mining, trucking, ranching, and farming.
“They want to remake the Oregon we’ve known our whole lives. We want to preserve the values and way of life of old Oregon as a part of Idaho.”
A dozen of Oregon’s 36 counties have already passed Greater Idaho measures.
“This is a very important vote happening in Crook County, and mistakes made by the county cannot be allowed to impact the results,” Mr. McCaw said.
“We continue to call on Crook County to mail a supplemental to voters so that our supporters get the same reach and voice that our opposition was given.”
Mr. McCaw told The Epoch Times it would be difficult to determine the omission’s impact on voters on election day.
“I do believe that the county’s chosen course of action affects voters’ confidence that the county is administering a fair and unbiased election process,” he said.
