What to Know
- The election in Omena, Michigan, is a fundraiser costing $1 per vote
- Candidates must be animals that live in Omena
- Each newly-elected officer will serve a three-year term
Politics in a small northern Michigan village have gone to the cats and dogs and goats and even chickens.
Omena's newly elected mayor is a feline named Sweet Tart. Dogs Diablo Shapiro and Punkin Anderson Harder are vice mayor and second vice mayor.
An election committee named Harley the goat press secretary while Penny the chicken is special assistant for fowl affairs.
The seats are ceremonial. WPBN-TV reports that the election is a fundraiser costing $1 per vote and brought in more than $7,000 to the Omena Historical Society.
"Because of our internet reach and because of our publicity and because of the ability to receive votes from PayPal, it's really expanded the number of people that have participated," said Keith Disselkoen, president of the historical society.
Sweet Tart did not comment when a reporter asked what plans it has for Omena.
U.S. & World
Candidates have to be animals and live in Omena, which has about 300 human residents and is north of Traverse City.
An inauguration and parade were held Saturday. The newly-elected officers will serve three-year terms.
