Paw-litics Has Gone to the Dogs! Pup Elected As First Female Mayor in This Minnesota Town!
A Great Pyrenees dog has been elected as the first female mayor of Cormorant, Minnesota, continuing the town’s tradition of animal mayors. đ #News #CormorantMN #Minnesota #Politics
CORMORANT, MN – A small Minnesota town is welcoming a new mayor, and she’s a bit furrier than usual. Khaleesi Sherbrooke, a Great Pyrenees, is set to begin her first term as the mayor of Cormorant.
Nearly ten years ago, Cormorant decided to try something different by electing a mayor. The town had never had one before, so in 2015, they came up with the idea. The governing board introduced a voting system where residents could cast their vote by donating $1, with the money supporting the town’s summer festival, Cormorant Daze.
In an unexpected twist, the votes overwhelmingly went to a beloved neighborhood dog, which started a unique tradition for the town.
That first canine mayor, Duke, another Great Pyrenees, held office from 2015 until his retirement in June 2018. We’ve reported on Duke the Dog earlier this year. Be sure to read: You Wonât Believe This Dog Was Mayor of a Minnesota Town!
With the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, the tradition of electing an animal mayor faded.
In 2024, with politics on everyone’s minds, the town decided to revive the tradition. Nominations for the Cormorant Animal Mayor Election were open from Memorial Day until the Fourth of July, with the top three candidates announced shortly after.
The candidates included Khaleesi Sherbrooke, a Great Pyrenees, Ollie Einerson, a young Golden Retriever mix, and Theodore H. Rosten, a Bassett Hound.
Voting took place on social media between July 15 and August 5, and Khaleesi won decisively with 103,000 votes.
This large number is notable, especially for a town with only 1,407 residents, but it makes sense considering the voting was open to everyone online.
Khaleesi, who moved to Cormorant from Idaho earlier this year, is about three years old and weighs 140 pounds. Her friendly nature, developed while spending time with workers at an Idaho construction site, helped her win over the community.
As Cormorant’s second and first female mayor, Khaleesi was sworn in during the recent 13th Annual Cormorant Daze Festival. Her role will include representing the town at various events and participating in parades.
Like Duke, Khaleesi will also be involved in fundraising activities for the local humane society.
Written by JackAndKitty.com Midwest News Reporter Maria Garcia, with additional reporting by Jack and Kitty Norton. Photos courtesy of Cormorant Daze on Facebook. Give them a like and a follow here.
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