Thirteen animal candidates running for Corrales’ 2025 Pet Mayor will meet potential voters as the fundraising election approaches its Sept. 27 deadline.
The Meet n’ Greet is scheduled from 10-11 a.m. Sept. 13 at The Village Mercantile, according to election co-chairs Cheryl Kemnitz and Susan Armijo Whalley.
The field represents the largest candidate pool in recent years, up from six competitors in 2024, when miniature horse Chico Suave won the honorary position. The winner will be announced Sept. 28 before the annual Pet Parade.
“This is a great chance for candidates to meet the community and solicit votes for this special election,” the co-chairs said in an advisory.
According to the festival website, the 13 candidates and their campaign slogans are
- Apple the pig (“Rooting for a better tomorrow!”)
- Billy the goat (“Billy ‘The GOAT’ – The greatest of all time Goats!”)
- Clover the donkey (“Vote for a cute little A$!”)
- Faith (“Got Faith?”)
- Riley (“Pawsitively Pawfect Mayor!”)
- Sweet T the bird (“Feathers, not fur! Flocking together for a better Village”)
- Taz (“Seasoned. Sophisticated. Slightly Senile”)
- Skywalker (“May the FURCE be with you!”)
- Bobo the rabbit (“Stealing hearts one hop at a time!”)
- Harley (“Not all Harleys have wheels, but this Harley wants to be Mayor of Corrales!”)
- Flopsy (“Fly Higher with Flopsy!“)
- Norbert (“The World’s First Hedgehog Mayor!”)
- Prince (“Our Precious Rio Shepherd of the Bosque”)
Several candidates have been campaigning around town ahead of the event. Harley frequents Casa Vieja, where Clover the mini donkey is also a regular patron, organizers said. Apple has been “trading votes for belly rubs” at Red Dog Planters and Yard Art, which held a horseshoe ristra raffle to benefit the campaign. Riley gets groomed at Crown Canine and visits Coffee Wagon, while Norbert was recently spotted at the Grower’s Market.
Voting began July 4 and costs $1 per vote for in-person ballots and a $2 minimum for online voting through the Corrales Harvest Festival website, with residents able to cast unlimited votes. Voting ends at 5 p.m. Sept. 27.
The election has raised nearly half of its $5,000 goal. Last year’s election raised approximately $3,000, with all proceeds benefiting Corrales Animal Services, the village’s no-kill animal welfare organization.
For more information, contact Kemnitz at (505) 688-2455 or Whalley at (505) 203-4281.