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amidst a polarizing election season, a neighborhood in Oakland, California, is putting on a much friendlier race.
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Here on 55th Street, the candidates for mayor are more focused on napping, cuddling and playing than they are partisan bickering.
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Let's go see your constituents.
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Mary Owen, a 57 year old project manager whose 11 year old Shiba Inu Mimi is running, called the contest a much needed reprieve from the animosity shown in the nation's capital.
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Well, Mimi is running for mayor of 55th Street.
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Her campaign slogan is She'll bark when it matters.
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You know, honestly, I think everyone just needs a little levity from this anxiety filled election season.
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And so this has just been a pure joy for our neighborhood.
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Just toe be out here and be talking with the constituents, having everybody tell us how they enjoy just seeing the dogs and the cats running this and it's been a lot of fun.
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The 55th Street Merrill race started with one incumbent cat named Wally running unopposed, but a few cats and dogs pounced on the opportunity to make it competitive.
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Kirsten Russell, a 49 year old photography teacher, has a 10 year old tabby, who jumped in the race with the campaign slogan Change Miao.
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Well, we heard that, um, there was a cat called Wally, who was representing himself to be the mayor of 55th Street, and we decided that our cat Betty seemed Merrill and that maybe we needed a change on 55th Street and we thought, We just jump jump on in.
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Russell's eight year old daughter, Maeve, will cast her ballot for Betty.
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She's really good and she wants to crush the patriarchy, and so that's why I'm gonna vote for her.
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She's awesome, Owen said.
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It's a chance to share the importance of civic engagement and participation with kids.
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That's right.
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Well, we are having an election.
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It's a ranked election, and we're making up ballots with all of the pets faces on it.
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And our graphic artist neighbor Kelly, is making a ballot box.
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And mostly we're teaching the kids about democracy and about, uh, fairness equity, you know, justice, And, uh, we're gonna have all the kids, make a choice, put it in the ballot box, have a little talk about democracy in our country and just, you know, and of course, candy because it's Halloween night.
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Rachel Kattner, a 43 year old school librarian, put six year old Pitbull mix Macy on the ballot with the slogan.
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Keep Oakland rough.
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The amount of like pet puns that come out are just incredible.
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And you just the way toe to really enjoy our neighborhood, enjoy your neighbors.
