Robert Tufts is like many other 4-year-old boys: He likes fishing, sticks and daycare. But he's different from his peers in at least one significant respect: He's the appointed leader of his town.
Tufts became mayor of tiny Dorset, Minn., when he was only 3.
Dorset, a community of between 20 and 30 people, is known for its annual Taste of Dorset festival, during which the new mayor is appointed.
According to Yahoo!'s Shine blog, the people pick their mayor by randomly pulling a name out of a hat. Anyone can enter the mayoral race, as long as he or she pays the $1 entrance fee. Robert's mom, Emma Tufts, told the blog that her son actually campaigned for the job by handing out pins to local businesses.
The key to his success was getting other resident to put his name into the hat, according to ABC News. And the strategy paid off.
“He was so excited and told everyone at daycare that he was going to be mayor forever,” his mom told Yahoo! Shine.
Emma Tufts told ABC that her son's duties are casual, but that he is proud to represent his constituents.
“Mostly it’s just going to daycare and schmoozing with the girls,” she said. “But he did the Governor’s Fishing Opener, and he loves meeting and greeting people at the restaurants. He greets everyone.”
In an interview that aired last week on CBS affiliate WCCO in Minneapolis, the debonair little mayor even offered up a bit of advice to local fisherman, recommending leeches, worms or minnows as good bait. Later in the interview, he also revealed that he has a girlfriend.
Tufts is mayor until August, at which point the lucky winner of the next Taste of Dorset hat drawing will take over.
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