Santa Claus elected to city council in North Pole

Mary Bowerman | USA TODAY Network

There’s a new city councilman in the small town of North Pole, Alaska, with a charming white beard.

A man legally named Santa Claus won a three-year city council term in the North Pole, according to election results released on Tuesday.

Following the win, Claus posted on Facebook and thanked his supporters.

"I'm happy to announce that I have been elected to the North Pole City Council ... I look forward to continuing to serve my community :-)," Claus said in the Oct. 14 post.

Claus legally changed his name in 2005, and launched a write-in campaign to fill one of two open city council seats in the Oct. 6 election.

Formerly known as Thomas Patrick O'Connor, he decided to change his name after growing out his beard and playing Santa Claus for children.

“I enjoyed playing Santa Claus immensely, and it was well received with the children," Claus told USA TODAY Network last week.

The 68-year-old is a monk and child advocate.

Claus, who has almost 300,000 likes on Facebook, said he strives to promote the Christmas message of giving and love throughout the year. He notes that while he may look like Santa Claus and shares his name, he doesn't share the unbridled message of consumerism that Claus has come to encompass.

"The message I try to share with children is that the greatest gift you can give is love and not presents," he said.

Claus, who formerly served as president of the town's chamber of commerce, said he planned on promoting responsible growth in the town.

"In our neck of the woods, one of the oil refineries has closed and everybody is cutting back on the budgets and looking for opportunity," Claus said.

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