Mayor Dog "Wins by a Landslide"

Cormorant, Minnesota, is going to the dogs - literally.The votes for the most recent mayoral election have come in, and the results show a clear winner - Duke the 

seven-year-old mutt.Duke is officially the small village's mayor dog.

A Dog for a Mayor?

Not only did Duke win the election, but by all accounts he won by a landslide. Granted, the total of his " landslide" victory consists of 12 votes. but in a town where less than 18 people voted, that is as much of a landslide as you are going to get. even though the mayor dog doesn't have the same firm grasp on american politics as other candidates, duke has been serving the town his entire life. duke is locally famous for>patrolling the streets

, making sure that they are free of any critter ne'er-do-wells. He also is known for spending much of his down time making sure cars driving through Cormorant stick to the speed limit -- by barking and chasing after any fast cars.And to sweeten the pot for his constituents, the mayor dog will not be taking a salary during his term. Instead, all he requires is a years

supply of kibble

-- being donated to the democratic doggy by Tuffy's Pet Food.

But given his sweeping win this election, it looks like Duke is going to stay at the helm for many years to come. And not just dog years.Before being sworn in, Duke enjoyed a long and relaxing trip to the local groomers. He had to look sharp for his public.Almost the entire town is excited to see their favorite dog at the helm of their town. However, Richard Sherbrook, owner of the Cormorant Store and Mayoral candidate, has yet to be reached for a comment. One can only hope to understand the kind of emotional toll it must take to lose an election to a dog. Perhaps he is beefing up his campaign for his run in the next term.

Duke's election is coming hot on the heels of another high-profile moment for Minnesota politics. While the sun comes up of Duke's term as mayor dog, so it also sets on the two term run for Minnesota's youngest political official, the now 5-year-old mayor of Dorset, Robert Tufts.

Minnesota's Miniature Mayor

While many are sad to see the end of such an adorable reign, little Robert is more than happy to relinquish his seat as mayor. "I have to look at the cameras so much I can't be googly eyes and fun and nonsense," Robert told a local CBS reporter.The end of his term may have been the best for everyone. Robert gets to return to a normal childhood, and the town is spared from a mayor that would have ended up 

abusing his power

.

Even at the end of his second term, Robert was starting to show the warning signs of political corruption - "Nobody could arrest me,

not even a cop,

" a young Robert brazenly told reporters.Tread carefully, Robert. Diplomatic immunity can be a double edged sword.The last thing Dorset needs is a 5-year-old

Rob Ford

on their hands.

Sources:Independent - Duke the dog becomes elected mayor of Minnesota town Fox Chicago - 7-Year-Old Dog Elected As Mayor in Cormorant, Minnesota