A Town with Four-Legged Leaders

There's a town in California where the politicians have fur and walk on four legs. Idyllwild, an unincorporated town, has no human politicians. The locals were happy to keep it that way.

The First Canine Election

In 2012, Idyllwild held its first mayoral election with a twist. Instead of humans running for office, a nonprofit called Animal Rescue Friends organized an election where people nominated their pets. The race included 14 dogs and 2 cats.

Voting worked in a simple way. Each $1 donation counted as one vote. The unique election raised $31,000 for Animal Rescue Friends.

Mayor Max Takes Office

A dog named Max won the election and became the town's first canine mayor. His job came with real duties. During his swearing-in ceremony, Max took an official oath on his dog food bowl.

Max proved to be so popular that his one-year term stretched into two years.

A Dynasty of Golden Mayors

After the first Mayor Max finished his term, Maximus Mighty Dog Mueller the Second took over the leadership position. Max II didn't work alone. He had two deputy mayors named Mikey and Mitzy, who were relatives of the original Max.

The second Mayor Max was just as beloved as his predecessor. His term lasted for an impressive nine years.

The Legacy Continues

The mayoral lineage continues today with Mayor Max the Third, who was born on September 5th last year. The current administration includes Vice Mayor Meadow and the long-serving deputies, Mikey and Mitzy.

A Permanent Paw Print on Politics

Idyllwild remains officially run by Golden Retrievers, and all signs point to this furry tradition continuing for many years to come. The town has embraced its unique form of government, proving that sometimes the best leaders have wagging tails and wet noses.