Mayor Bobby Tufts

This story is a few weeks old, but I thought it was cute, so that's why I wanted to make a post about it, even though I'm a little behind the times.

Dorset is a tiny tourist town in Minnesota and is the self-proclaimed "Restaurant Capital of the World." Dorset has a grand total of four restaurants. That's really not that many restaurants to have in one town, but maybe it seems like a lot when you consider that the town only has a population of 28 people max (but is sometimes less, depending on whether the minister and his family are in town). I guess if you do the math that would make it one restaurant for every seven citizens, so maybe that's why they make that claim. Anyway, Dorset has an annual food festival the first week of August, and that's when the election for town mayor takes place. Anyone (and I mean ANYone) can run for mayor in Dorset (a dog was even on the ballot a few years ago!). People can cast as many votes as they like, so long as they're willing to pay a dollar for each vote.

The incumbent mayor, Bobby Tufts, decided to run for reelection. (He was elected for the first time last year at the ripe old age of three. (Yes, three!) I know what you might be thinking… "what business does a three-year-old have being town mayor?!" Fortunately, Dorset doesn't have a lot of complex issues like most towns in America! Dorset has no formal city government and the mayor has no official duties since it was incorporated as part of the nearby town of Park Rapids when ZIP codes were created.

Bobby (who is now four years old) won the election again on August 4. Most of the town's citizens are pleased with Bobby's leadership so far and are looking forward to what he will accomplish in his second term. According to one article I read, fundraising is a passion of Bobby's, and he's already raised $750 from a walk he participated in this past summer. He plans to hold events throughout the year to raise money for charities like Ronald McDonald House.

Here's the adorable Mayor Tufts. In the second picture, Bobby is shaking hands with one of his supporters. I love the expression on his face in the next pic; he looks so proud!