Edgewater’s race for mayor is heating up, but the candidates are a bit fluffier than those who ran against Lori Lightfoot earlier this year.
Six animals are working hard to become the first “Pet Mayor” of Edgewater.
And not only are votes for sale (for a good cause), voters are encouraged to take to the polls as often as possible.
At $1 each, all the money will go to the Care for Real’s Pet Pantry, which provides pet supplies to families who have fallen upon hard times.
Richard Boyte, Development Assistant at Care for Real, said the race is about making sure “no pets go hungry in [the] neighborhood.”
The field of candidates – four dogs, a cat, and a goat – were selected from an original group of 39 hopefuls. Independent judges preferred these six because of their “clear platforms” and the diversity between them, Boyte said.
Several candidate “meet-and-greet” will be held. You can find out when and where here.
At last count, the candidates had raised a total of $3,004. The leading candidate, Ballew, a dog, had raised $1,328. Pax, the only goat in the race, is second with $522. After that it’s Wrigley: $420; Titus (a cat): $273; Bug: $250; and Winston: $211.
Citizens have been treating the Pet Mayor race very positively, Boyte said, with most people reacting with amusement.
Voters are encouraged to go to the Edgewater Chamber of Commerce website for more information on the candidates, and to vote. Voting ends Aug. 3.
