The Columbus, Ohio suburb of Grandview Heights is electing its first-ever Dog Mayor, a good-natured civic exercise that has turned a local dog park and bar into the unlikely center of municipal politics this fall.
The contest, a partnership between the city and The Wag, a Grandview dog park and bar, opened for nominations last month and drew 93 entries before organizers narrowed the field to five finalists, according to Axios Columbus. The candidates, each running with a human campaign manager, have staked out platforms as varied as any city council race: D'artagnan wants accessible sidewalks and more poop-bag stations; Hank is campaigning for pup-friendly patios; Kiki has proposed a "cheese tax" on humans in exchange for more treat stops; River wants daily whipped-cream pup cups and weekly block parties; and Tater is running on what supporters describe as a permanent biscuit entitlement.
Casey Meyer, owner of The Wag, said the election was conceived simply as a way to bring neighbors together.
We decided to do it as a fun thing to bring the community together.
Casey Meyer, owner, The Wag
Voting is open to the public ahead of the winner's inauguration, scheduled for Oct. 9 at The Wag, where the newly sworn-in Dog Mayor will take on largely ceremonial duties for the coming year, including public appearances and, organizers say, a standing invitation to future city civic events. Grandview Heights joins a small but growing list of American towns, including Tacoma, Washington, and Woodinville, Washington, that have held similar pet-mayor contests as fundraisers for local animal shelters and humane societies, with entry fees and merchandise sales typically funneled back into adoption and spay-and-neuter programs.
City officials have leaned into the novelty, with the mayor's office and The Wag jointly promoting the finalists on social media in the run-up to the vote. Organizers say the event has already exceeded their expectations for turnout and community interest, with residents posting campaign endorsements for their favored candidates in the same tone typically reserved for human elections.
