His third election as mayor, Max II was elected unanimously. But his two assistants, Mikey and Mitzi, serve the town with wagging tails, lolling tongues and striped ties in a way that makes them look like they enjoy it just as much.
The trio are often referred to as the “Mayors of Idyllwild” and regularly make appearances at festivals, fairs and even make house calls to those in need.
Mayor Max II has a fleet of mayor mobiles with custom license plates and logos, a line of clothing merchandise, and magnetic business cards that can be found on locals
Max, a goldfish with 62,000 followers on Instagram posts photos and videos of his daily activities. Max has been photographed at weddings, schools, parades and celebrity events. In addition to being the Mayor of Idyllwild, Max is also the honorary mayor of Long Beach and San Diego.
Max II’s first term as mayor will end in November 2018 and he is able to run for office again when he’s four-years-old.
Idyllwild has a population of around 2500 people and has never had a human mayor.
In 2012 an election for mayor was held and it was decided that the winner of the race would be a dog.
The election in 2012 attracted global media attention as Max became the first canine to serve as an elected official.
A statement of Oath on the former mayor Max’s website reads:
“I, Max, do swear on my food bowl to faithfully execute my duties as Mayor of Idyllwild.
“I am proud to take this oath, knowing that my human campaign manager went above and beyond to finance this election campaign.”
“I am proud to be a Mayor in Idyllwild, where everyone can find happiness and success. I will be a role model for all who live here so that you never feel alone!
”Mayor Max promises to “support commissioners who oversee approving new projects” and “participate in outdoor concerts, festivals, fairs, and the July 4 parade.”
In 2014, Max’s popularity led to a run for president.
The canine launched his campaign on Facebook telling supporters: “I won the mayoral race fair and square, even if I did use fishy tactics… Now is your chance to elect me President of these United States!”
With no human opponent in sight, Max’s campaign team told his Facebook followers that they would be pulling out of the race and instead push for a constitutional change to allow him to become president.
His bid was managed by Phyllis, who asked voters if they were willing to write in ‘Max’ on their ballot papers.
