The Siskiyou County Board, located in the upper reaches of Northern California, voted to secede from the state by a vote of 4 – 1 due to what they say is a lack of representation at the legislature in Sacramento, a local CBS station reported Wednesday:
Supporters want other rural counties in Northern California and Southern Oregon to join them in the creation of a new state. But splitting from California would not be easy. Siskiyou County would have to gain the approval of the state legislature and U.S. Congress.
Colorado’s Weld County also voted unanimously last month in favor of putting a 51st state initiative on the November ballot, entitled “North Colorado.”
Update:
A staffer for Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA) was in attendance at the Siskiyou County board meeting Tuesday, reports the Eureka Times-Standard, and reportedly expressed personal support for the measure:
Among those in attendance was Erin Ryan, field representative for Rep. Doug LaMalfa. When asked for the congressman’s opinion, she said that she and other LaMalfa staff members supported the effort to secede, but she did not know LaMalfa’s thoughts on it. She also said there’s support for the split in Sacramento.
Kevin Eastman, a spokesman for the congressman, declined to comment.
