In 1998, the town of Rabbit Hash, Kentucky, population 315, elected a dog named Goofy as mayor as a fundraiser joke. It worked so well they kept doing it. Every mayor since has been a dog. They have collectively raised over $100,000 for the town. No human has run for mayor since 1998.
A Kentucky Town Has Elected Dogs as Mayor for 25 Years
Rabbit Hash, Kentucky, sits on the banks of the Ohio River. Its population hovers around 315. It has a general store that dates to 1831. And since 1998, every single one of its mayors has been a dog.
The First Dog
In 1998, the town held a mayoral election as a fundraiser for the Rabbit Hash Historical Society. Votes cost $1 each and you could vote as many times as you wanted. A dog named Goofy won.
The fundraiser was so successful that the town decided to keep doing it.
The Dynasty
Goofy was succeeded by Junior in 2004. Junior was succeeded by Lucy Lou, a border collie, in 2008. Lucy Lou was succeeded by Brynneth Pawltro, a pit bull, in 2016. Brynneth was succeeded by Wilbur Beast, a French bulldog, in 2020.
Every single mayor has been a dog. The elections have collectively raised over $100,000 for the town's historical society.
The Humans
No human has run for mayor of Rabbit Hash since 1998. Whether this reflects the quality of canine governance or the quality of available human candidates remains a matter of local debate.
The dogs have collectively served longer than most human political careers. They have never been involved in a scandal, broken a campaign promise, or raised taxes. The town seems satisfied with the arrangement.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long have dogs been mayor of Rabbit Hash?
How does voting work?
How much have they raised?
Who have the dog mayors been?
Verified Fact
Verified via Courier-Journal, rabbithashky.com official site, multiple news sources. 1998 first dog mayor confirmed. All five dog mayors confirmed. $1 per vote unlimited system confirmed. $100,000+ raised confirmed. Population ~315 confirmed.
Courier-Journal
