Minnesota Township Keeps Electing Four-Legged Mayors

In one small Minnesota community, voters have made their preference clear: when it comes to choosing an honorary mayor, they like candidates with four legs.

Cormorant Township, a western Minnesota community of about 1,400 people, has held honorary mayoral elections since 2014. So far, a human has never won.

The tradition began with Duke, a large white Great Pyrenees who became the township’s first honorary mayor.

According to NPR, Duke won his first race with just 12 votes in a dollar-a-vote fundraiser held during the Cormorant Daze festival. Despite the small total, he was declared the winner by a landslide.

Duke quickly became a local celebrity.

He appeared in parades riding on the back of a red convertible, posed for an official portrait wearing a top hat and served four one-year terms as honorary mayor.

He retired in 2018.

When Duke died the following year, the village honored him with a song.

The township’s unusual political tradition did not end there.

In 2024, Cormorant elected another Great Pyrenees, Khaleesi Sherbrooke, whose name was inspired by the dragon queen from “Game of Thrones.”

According to Valley News Live, Khaleesi won 76.5% of roughly 103,000 online votes.

She defeated two other dogs and a local YouTube personality.

Khaleesi was expected to seek another term this year.

The elections are honorary, and actual township business remains in the hands of human officials. Still, the contests have become part of Cormorant’s identity and a lighthearted way to bring attention to the community.

Cormorant is not the only place in the United States to confer a ceremonial political role on an animal.

Talkeetna, Alaska, became well known for Stubbs, a cat who served as the community’s honorary mayor for years.

Rabbit Hash, Kentucky, has also elected dogs to serve as mayor.

These contests are often tied to fundraisers or community events rather than formal government elections, but they have developed loyal followings.

In Cormorant, the tradition has now lasted more than a decade.

What started with Duke has become a familiar part of local life, giving residents a reason to gather, vote, and have a little fun with the idea of public office.

The honorary mayor may not sign ordinances, approve budgets or attend official township meetings.

But in Cormorant, it appears that winning over the public can still come down to a friendly face, a good parade appearance and, in some cases, a wagging tail.