4-Year-Old Mayor Seeks Re-election in Minnesota Town

Before even starting school, this tyke is already learning about two cornerstones of American society: capitalism and democracy

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Boy Mayor
Jeff Baenen / AP

In this photo made Wednesday, June 26, 2013 in Nevis , Minn., Bobby Tufts, the 4-year-old mayor of Dorset, Minn., prepares to go fishing, one of his favorite pastimes.

Last year, Robert Tufts was elected mayor of Dorset, a Minnesota town with a steady population of 22. At the time, Bobby — as he’s known locally — was only 3. Now the fedora-wearing tot is making a run for office again, reports the Associated Press.

About 150 miles northwest of Minneapolis, the self-proclaimed “Restaurant Capital of the World” (despite having just four eateries) has no formal city government. So each year, for $1 a vote, anyone can cast his or her vote multiple times in a raffle-style election. A name is drawn at the Taste of Dorset street festival, which will be held on August 4 this year, and the winner gets to be mayor. As the incumbent, Bobby gets to dig in the box and select a name.

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Bobby’s biggest accomplishment to date as mayor was leading a group of townspeople along a scenic path known as the Heartland Trail to raise money for Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Red River Valley in Fargo, N.D.

Like many great men, he has a strong woman behind him: Sophie, his girlfriend, is even on one of his campaign cards, which reads, “I would love to be your Mayor as much as I love Sophie.”

“I think he’s a cute little bugger and I think a lot of people share the same, you know, opinion as me, and it’s neat,” Hubbard County Sheriff Cory Aukes tells Associated Press. “You know, how often do you see a little kid like that who’s — call ’em camera-friendly or whatever, you know — he’s got a very good little personality, and he’s not afraid to show it. So I think it’s great.”

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