For years now, a trend has been going on in small towns and cities throughout the United States and in different parts of the world. Whether it be to criticize politics and mock officials, or just have some fun, animals have been running for and have been elected into different political offices.
This storied tradition actually dates back quite a few years, since at least 1922, when a billy goat named Ioiô (“Yo-yo”) was elected to be the city counselor of Fortaleza, Ceará in Brazil. Since then, all around the world furry friends have been, and to this day still are being elected into political offices. In 1981, A black Labrador-Rottweiler mix named Bosco was elected mayor of Sunol, California. In 2001, Sausssice, a dachshund, was a candidate for municipal elections in Marseilles, France. And it doesn’t just end with dogs: . In 1997, a cat named Stubbs was elected as the honorary mayor of Talkeetna, Alaska, and even went on to be featured as a write-in candidate for the Alaska senate race in 2014 and a Nubian goat named Lincoln was elected mayor in Fair Haven, Vermont.
With how widespread this trend of animal politicians is, one can’t help but ask why. What’s the point of it all? It’s ridiculous! The elections don’t really mean anything, do they? Of course, these animals can’t speak or make informed political decisions, but maybe they can serve another purpose: making people excited and engaged in politics, when the world feels increasingly divided because of them. People like senior Sydney Belter who are generally disengaged with politics, are excited by the prospect of animal elections.
“I feel like I’d be more likely to want to go to a meet and greet or something, if I could,” Belter said. I feel like I would just want to pet it and take a trip there.”
Animal elections have also been used as forms of protest of the political system. In 1938, Boston Curtis, a brown mule, was entered by Kenneth Simmons as a candidate for the Republican precinct committeeman of Milton, Washington. He won in a landslide vote, having had no platform or campaign. He did this to critique how voters have a tendency to vote for someone without knowing them. A rhinoceros at the São Paulo zoo in Brazil named Cacareco was a candidate in their 1958 city council election. Although the government didn’t recognize her candidacy, she received over 100,000 votes, which was higher than any other party in the election. Her candidacy was used to protest political corruption.
Oftentimes, these animal mayors become a kind of mascot, a fun way to represent their town or city and create a sense of community.
“I think a town having an animal mayor would make it more interesting, definitely,” senior Toby Kelly said. “It sounds like fun, like a whole little thing that’ll bring the town morale up.”
Others, however, are a little unconvinced of the merits of animal politicians.
“I mean, it’s an interesting concept, but I don’t know,” senior Basil Pleasants said. “There’s no substance to it. It’s just a cute animal in a funny hat.”
While these animals can’t make the hard decisions for us when it comes to politics, these paw-some pals can aid us in ways we hardly ever think of. They represent our ideas and bring us all together in an age where we’re feeling increasingly separated, and that’s quite an important policy.
