A Dog Has Been Elected Mayor Of A Small Town For The Third Consecutive Term And Is Thriving

Cormorant Township in Minnesota has been electing a dog as its honorary mayor since 2014, and the current mayor — a four-year-old golden retriever named Biscuit — has just secured his third consecutive term with 87 percent of the vote. His opponent was a cat named Whisker, who his campaign described as "fiscally irresponsible and easily distracted by strings." Political science has nothing to say about this. We think about it constantly.

Mayor Biscuit's platform, as interpreted by his owner and campaign manager Linda Frentz, centers on "being a very good boy, consistently," with secondary commitments to greeting all visitors with enthusiasm and supporting the local farmers market, where he receives free samples. The position carries no official powers, but Biscuit has become a major draw for the township, which has seen tourism increase by 400 percent since his first election.

When asked about the win, Mayor Biscuit was asleep in the sun on the town hall steps, which his campaign characterized as "a statement about the importance of rest in governance." His approval ratings are higher than any human politician in the state. He has no plans to retire. The good boy continues.