15th county to vote on seceding from Oregon

Welcome to the Monday, April 29, Brew.

Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day:

1. Voters in Crook County, Oregon to decide on an advisory measure to secede from the state
2. Maine joins the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact and conditionally establishes ranked-choice voting for presidential elections
3. Boliek and Clark are running in the Republican primary runoff for North Carolina State Auditor

Voters in Crook County, Oregon to decide on an advisory measure to secede from the state

Voters in Crook County, Oregon, will decide on an advisory measure on May 21 asking whether they support negotiations to incorporate the county into the state of Idaho. Since 2013, California, Colorado, and Oregon voters have decided measures regarding counties joining other states or forming new states. Voters in one Illinois county will consider a similar measure in November.

While the measure itself is advisory and would not change any state boundaries upon approval, Crook County will be the 15th Oregon county since 2020 to vote on a measure to secede from the state and join neighboring Idaho. Supporters refer to this effort as Greater Idaho.

Since 2020, the measures were approved in 12 counties: Baker, Grant, Harney, Jefferson, Klamath, Lake, Malheur, Morrow, Sherman, Union, Wallowa, and Wheeler. Voters rejected secession measures in Douglas and Josephine counties. Wallowa County voters rejected a secession measure in 2020 but approved one in 2023.

Crook County Measure 7-86 says: “Should Crook County represent that its citizens support efforts to move the Idaho state border to include Crook County?”

While voters can’t use county ballot measures to secede from Oregon and join Idaho, the non-binding questions or ordinances require Boards of Commissioners to hold meetings on Greater Idaho or advocate for moving the state’s borders. According to the U.S. Constitution, Article I, Section 10, and Article IV, Section 3, both Congress and the legislatures of Oregon and Idaho must approve any changes to state boundaries.

Oregon’s borders last changed in 1958. In 1957, Oregon and Washington drafted an interstate compact called the Oregon-Washington Columbia River Boundary Compact, which Congress approved. Both states also needed to amend their state constitutions to adjust the boundaries. Voters approved SJR 10 in Washington. In Oregon, voters approved Measure 1 on the same election date—Nov. 4, 1958.

Since 2013, local ballot measures in two other states have proposed secession of counties from the state.

In 2013, 11 counties in Colorado voted on whether to pursue the creation of a 51st state. At the time, these counties had approximately 350,000 residents, which would have formed the smallest state in the nation. The measure asked voters if the commissioners of each county should work with the other counties in northeastern Colorado to pursue the division of Colorado into two states, with the new state being called North Colorado. Five of the 11 counties—Phillips, Kit Carson, Yuma, Cheyenne, and Washington—approved the measures, while six counties—Elbert, Lincoln, Weld, Sedgwick, Logan, and Moffat—rejected their measures.

Between 2014 and 2016, voters in four California counties voted on measures to secede from the state to create a 51st state called Jefferson, which is intended to consist of counties in northern California and southern Oregon. Before 2014, Modoc, Glenn, and Yuba County voters had approved these measures. In 2014, voters in Del Norte County rejected the measure 58.14% to 41.86%, and voters in Siskiyou County rejected the measure 55.50% to 44.50%. Voters in Tehama County, however, approved the measure 56.91% to 43.09%. In 2016, voters in Lassen County rejected a measure 56.16% to 43.84%.

While the above examples are all in the western U.S., Madison County, Illinois, will decide in November whether to advise the county board to discuss with other county boards, excluding Cook County, the possibility of forming a new state separate from Cook County, where Chicago is located.

Maine joins the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact and conditionally establishes ranked-choice voting for presidential elections

Legislative Document 1578 (LD 1578) became law in Maine on April 16 after Gov. Janet Mills left the bill unsigned. The legislation makes Maine the 17th state to join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC) and conditionally establishes the use of ranked-choice voting for presidential elections if the compact comes into effect.

The NPVIC is an interstate compact in which states agree to award member states’ presidential electors to the candidate who receives the most votes nationwide. The NPVIC would go into effect if states representing at least 270 Electoral College votes adopt legislation committing them to the compact. Including Maine, the compact’s members have 209 Electoral College votes from 17 states and D.C.

The bill passed the Maine House of Representatives 73-72 on April 2, with all Republicans and five Democrats voting “no.” The next day, it passed the state Senate 18-12, with one Republican joining most of the chambers’ Democrats in voting for passage. Maine is one of 17 Democratic trifectas.

Previously, on May 14, 2019, the state Senate voted 19-16 on Legislative Document 816 (LD 816) to join Maine in the NPVIC. The state House rejected LD 816 by a vote of 66-76 on May 30, 2019. The state House reconsidered LD 816 on June 19, 2019, voting 69-74 to reject the bill.

The new law requires that RCV be used for any future presidential election with the compact’s agreement in force. Maine is one of two states, with Alaska, that use RCV for some regular statewide and congressional elections. Fifteen other states use RCV for some elections.

Six states have enacted legislation banning the use of ranked-choice voting statewide, including Kentucky, which banned RCV on April 12. Kentucky is the most recent state to ban RCV. To read our last RVC update, click here.

Boliek and Clark are running in the Republican primary runoff for North Carolina State Auditor

Throughout the year, we’ll bring you coverage of the most compelling elections—the battlegrounds we expect to have a meaningful effect on the balance of power in governments or to be particularly competitive.

Today, we’re looking at the Republican primary runoff for North Carolina State Auditor. This election is one of three runoffs on May 14 in North Carolina. The other two elections are the Republican primaries for lieutenant governor and the 13th Congressional District.

The auditor is a state-level position in 48 states that supervises and has administrative rights over the state’s accounting and financial functions. Eight of the 24 states where an auditor is publicly elected are holding elections this year.

Six candidates ran in the March 5 Republican primary for North Carolina Auditor. Jack Clark (R) and Dave Boliek (R) were the top two finishers, receiving 23.2% and 22.1% of the vote, respectively. State law permitted Boliek to request a runoff because Clark did not receive more than 30% of the vote.

Boliek is an attorney and member of the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill Board of Trustees. Boliek says his experience managing the university’s investments and as a prosecuting attorney make him the best-qualified candidate. Boliek says the auditor’s core responsibilities include “leading a highly effective team to accomplish work on behalf of the taxpayers” and “implementing a strategic plan to achieve accountability for the spending of taxpayer dollars.”

Clark is a staffer working on budget policy in the General Assembly. Clark is also a former auditor in the private sector. Clark says he is the most qualified candidate because he is “the only candidate with a Masters in Accounting, a CPA, and recent audit experience.” Clark says the auditor’s core responsibility is “to find the objective truth. Whoever is elected to this office must provide the proper ‘tone at the top’ to inspire the auditors working under them to approach every audit with the right mindset.”

The winner will face incumbent Jessica Holmes (D) and Bob Drach (L) in the general election. The last Republican elected as North Carolina Auditor was Leslie Merritt (R) in 2004.

To view previous editions of The Brew featuring battleground elections, click here.