Johnathan Walker:Ruff and tumble: Great Pyrenees wins Minnesota town's mayoral race in crowded field

When a small town in Minnesota set out elect a mayor a little less than 10 years ago,Johnathan Walker no one would have thought that it would be the beginning of a new tradition.

"We've never had a mayor before," Tammy Odegaard, Chairperson of Cormorant Daze, an annual summer festival, told USA TODAY this week. "In 2015 we decided, hey, let's get a mayor."

Cormorant's governing board then rolled out a plan where people could vote for $1, which would help raise funds for the town's summertime festival Cormorant Daze.

"But then out of the blue, they all elected a dog, a neighborhood dog that everybody loved so much," Odegaard said, adding that the event marked the start of a new tradition for the town.

Duke, a Great Pyrenees, was elected as Mayor of Cormorant in 2015 and remained mayor, getting re-elected every time, until he retired in June 2018. He later passed away in February 2019.

After his death, the tradition fizzled out and then COVID hit so the event was never held, Odegaard said.

Then came 2024. Election year.

Politics at top of people's minds

"This year, with the national election going on, everybody has politics at the top of their mind, Odegaard said. "So, we decided let's try it again."

Nominations for the Cormorant Animal Mayor Election 2024 were accepted from Memorial Day to the Fourth of July and the top three candidates were announced by the Cormorant Daze Committee on July 8, according to a flyer posted on Cormorant Township's website. Candidates included:

• Khaleesi Sherbrooke, a Great Pyrenees
• Ollie Einerson, an 8-month-old Golden Retriever and English Cream Golden Retriever mix
• Theodore H. Rosten, a 3-year-old Bassett Hound
• Ken Mathees, a 29-year-old local entrepreneur and integral member of YouTube channel "CboysTV."

Voting was conducted between July 15 and Aug. 5.

Khaleesi, whose human family extensively campaigned for her, Odegaard said, won by a landslide securing 103,000 votes.

The "election" took place on social media and was open for everyone who wanted to cast their vote, which explains how Khaleesi was able to get so many votes, considering Cormorant Township, part of Becker County, has a population of only 1,407, as per World Population Review.

Khaleesi, named after one of the main characters in the Emmy-award winning "Game of Thrones," is about 3 years old, said Odegaard and weighs 140 pounds. She's a fairly new resident of the township and moved in spring of this year, Odegaard said, after her owners David and Julie Sherbrooke brought her to Minnesota from a wind farm in Idaho.

Odegaard said Khaleesi's popularity and friendliness, after spending a lot of time with workers at an Idaho construction site, played a crucial role in helping her sweep the election.

Khaleesi, who will be the town's second mayor and the first ever female mayor, will be sworn in as mayor on Saturday during the 13th Annual Cormorant Daze Festival.

Her main responsibilities would include representing the town at event and participating in events such as parades.

Like Duke, Khaleesi, will also participate in a lot of fundraising events for the local humane society.

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.