As the country anxiously awaited the final presidential election results for days on end, one Kentucky town was resting easy after the victor of its own heated election was declared on Election Day.
Wilbur, a 6-month-old French bulldog, was named the mayor of Rabbit Hash, in Boone County, Ky.
The tiny town is home to fewer than 500 people, who, as far as pet politics go, are deeply divided.
The distinguished little fella received 13,143 votes, setting a new record in the community of Rabbit Hash, which has elected a dog as mayor since 1998.
In the midst of all the uncertainty surrounding the 2020 election, one bright spot emerged on Tuesday as Wilbur, a French bulldog, won mayorship of Rabbit Hash, a tiny community in Kentucky’s Boone County.
The jury’s still out on what Wilbur’s policies are going to be, but the handsome pup was
a popular choice, claiming 13,143 out of 22,985 votes in a new record. According to local reports, he will be replacing Mayor Brynneth Pawltro, a pit bull who has dutifully served since 2017.
Wilbur’s closest opponents were Jack Rabbit, a beagle, and Poppy, a golden retriever. Lady Stone, a border collie that serves as the ambassador of the town, will be keeping her position and announced news of Wilbur’s win on her Facebook page. The Frenchie has his own Facebook page as well, showing images of his hard-won campaign to become mayor of “the most magical place on Earth.”
The town has never had a human mayor, but each election cycle, people from around the world cast their votes to elect a canine one.
It’s mostly just fun and a distraction from the tension of human politics, but each voter pays $1 per vote and proceeds go to the Rabbit Hash Historical Society. This year, they raised nearly $23,000
Wilbur handily unseated incumbent Brynneth Pawltro, a rescued pit bull. Wilbur earned 13,143 votes — the highest winning total recorded in the canine election. The event is done as a fundraiser.
Rabbit Hash — a census-designated place by the Ohio River consisting mainly of a general store — chooses its mayors “based on the candidates’ willingness to have their belly scratched,” according to the community’s website. These four-legged public officials promote the town, which is owned by the Rabbit Hash Historical Society, and locals can “vote” for candidates every four years by donating to the society. Wilbur’s campaign for mayor raised $6,165 on an online fundraising page.
The first mayor of Rabbit Hash was Goofy Borneman, a dog born of “unknown parentage” who entered office in 1998 when Boone County held a bicentennial celebration and a mayoral race for Rabbit Hash started.
Despite an alleged tendency to poach chickens, Goofy won the position with gusto, and Rabbit Hash’s mayorship has been held by canines ever since.
The city’s historical society holds a dog election every three years.
