In the spirit of President Donald Trump’s ambitious propositions such as reclaiming the Panama Canal and annexing Greenland, some residents of rural Illinois and Oregon are nurturing similar aspirations for their territories. Their vision is to disassociate from their respective states, possibly allying with Indiana and Idaho. The argument fortified by these advocates is their shared rural lifestyle and worldviews with their cross-border counterparts in contrast to the cosmopolitan cities of Chicago and Portland, Oregon. These inhabitants argue that rural, Republican sentiments are often overshadowed by the influential Democratic-led cities in their state governments.
Over the recent five years, an interesting proposition has been tabled before voters in 33 of Illinois’s counties. They were asked whether they would support a potential split from Cook County, containing Chicago, to set up a new state. Each time, the proposal was favored by a majority. Indications of neighboring Indiana’s willingness to embrace the idea have also surfaced recently.
The state’s legislative arm, the House of Representatives, progressed a legislation that exhibits Indiana’s readiness to incorporate Illinois counties. If this proposal culminates in fruition, it will be the first major reshuffling of states since West Virginia’s separation from Virginia to remain loyal to the Union during the Civil War. While local enthusiasm for this idea is gradually strengthening, significant barriers remain in the way of altering state boundaries within the United States.
At the very outset, the states which would potentially forfeit counties would need to consent to the idea— a possibility that is not very likely. Congressional approval would be another prerequisite. The National Center for Interstate Compacts under The Council of State Governments chronicled at least 50 instances in U.S. history when state boundaries have undergone changes. However, these modifications have mostly been on a minor scale, adjusting for shifting rivers or redrawing markers based on previous surveys.
Currently, at least three outfits are advocating for the reorganization of several Illinois counties, intending to separate from Chicago and the nearest suburbs. Cook county, bearing 40% of Illinois’s population inclusive of a significant proportion of Black, Asian, and Hispanic residents, is distinguished by its cultural vibrancy, hefty pension liabilities, and a notorious criminal record. In the political sphere, Democrats reign over the legislative districts around Chicago, whereas Republicans hold sway over most other regions of the state.
“What we witness in Illinois bears a stark resemblance to the grievances of our Founding Fathers during the Colonial period,” one advocate noted. According to these advocates, the current governance system has created a situation that is very similar to ‘taxation without representation’.
Voters have, so far, extended their support to ballot measures which empower officials in every county to collaborate with their colleagues from other counties in the pursuit of erecting a new state. However, these proposals hold back from expressing the ambition of complete independence.
In response to these popular votes, legislators from Indiana took a proactive stance and moved forward a bill that might instigate negotiations at the state level. Their argument hinges on the fact that Indiana boasts a healthier economic growth rate and lower taxes in comparison to Illinois.
Parallel movements are gaining traction in Oregon where inhabitants of the rural, Republican-tilted eastern region are diligently working towards separating from the predominantly Democratic west located beyond the Cascade Mountains. The ultimate objective is to link up with the consistently Republican state of Idaho. The Greater Idaho initiative has already secured victories in nonbinding elections in 13 counties.
The allies of the movement are engaging heavily in community outreach via town halls, merchandise sales including hats and t-shirts, and through billboards calling for ‘Release Eastern Oregon’. Roughly two years ago, Idaho’s House passed a resolution initiating discussions for Oregon’s inclusion. Yet similar resolutions are languishing in committees in the Oregon Legislature, with minimal chances of emergence.
Though state boundaries do shift occasionally, such instances are few and far between, and generally the magnitude of change is modest. The last occasion in history, more than a century and a half ago, when whole counties transitioned from one state to another was when West Virginia emerged from Virginia following the latter’s secession from the U.S. in 1861. This formation was largely driven by a group of loyalists who wanted to stay within the Union.
Two counties’ affiliation remained under contestation till the Supreme Court’s ruling in 1871 confirmed their belonging to West Virginia. Despite this precedent, countless attempts at state boundary realignment have ended in failure since then. In fact, only this year, a proposal by an Iowa lawmaker to procure nine counties from Southern Minnesota fell through.
Overall, the idea of reconfiguring states certainly adds a new dimension to the conversations on the ever-evolving socio-political landscape of the United States. The future, as always, would decide how these aspirations & movements shape or reshape the nation.