In the dog-eat-dog world of politics a dog has been elected mayor of a small town in Minnesota.

Seven-year-old Duke took 75% of the votes and for the third time has been named mayor of Cormorant.

The Great Pyrenees, Duke, has a nose for politics and is the only dog that’s been elected mayor in America.

Some say the White House may soon need a doggy door.

By Brianna Acuesta / True Activist:

This election year has turned into a season rife with the biggest division this country has seen, possibly ever, but not everyone is taking politics so seriously and morosely. One small town in Minnesota, whose population is just over 1,000, recently re-elected their mayor for a third consecutive term even though he’s an unlikely candidate. His name is Duke, and he’s a dog.

Duke, a nine-year-old Great Pyrenees, is often seen eating hamburgers and chips at the village’s pub when he’s not attending to his mayoral duties. He was first elected in 2014 by a landslide, earning 9 of the 12 votes cast that year and running against a local store owner, Richard Sherbrook.

Sherbrook himself voted for Duke, and said, “I’m going to back the dog 100 per cent. He’s a sportsman and he likes to hunt. He’ll really protect the town. There’s no question that he’ll do a good job representing the community.”

The fluffy dog has enjoyed his time as mayor, and even receives a salary in the form of a free year’s supply of dog food from Tuffy’s Pet Food store in a nearby village. That’s a pretty big salary considering Duke’s size. He often dons a mayoral hat and each year is given an official inauguration, where he addresses the citizens.

Duke’s only goal as the village’s leader is to unite the small community and promote camaraderie. Karen Nelson, a citizen of the town, told WDAY6,

“I don’t know who would run against him, because he’s done such great things for the community.”

David Rick, Duke’s owner, explained that Duke did not win unanimously, however. After the election, it was revealed that one vote was cast for Lassie, Duke’s girlfriend. Whether Lassie voted for herself because they’re having relationship problems or someone else voted for her so she could feel included, we’re sure it was also all in good fun.

While Duke’s re-election is silly and playful, the small number of votes is oddly representative of the American public’s tendency to refrain from voting. In this year’s election, with such divisive candidates, even fewer citizens are likely to turn up on Election Day to cast their vote, so hopefully, the general election doesn’t go to the dogs. Unless a dog is literally elected, too, then we’d be okay with that.

Politics goes to the dogs