Dog to stand for mayoral elections in California

Eccentric London mayor Boris Johnson may be barking mad in the eyes of many, but he's got nothing on the potential mayor in one of California's biggest cities. According to reports from Oakland, a group has put forward a dog for the upcoming mayoral elections in the city in a bid to wrestle power from city hall and return it to the people. 

Shepherd mix Einstein is being pushed for candidacy by the Occupy Oakland movement in the city. They say that the move to put a dog forward for consideration is a commentary on the current political accountability, adding that they want to see less power in city hall. 

A press release from the group reads: "Without a fallible human in the Mayor’s Office, we must all play our parts in determining the route Oakland will take into the future.

"No longer will we ask what the City Government can do for us. Instead, we will see the way clear to changing the City ourselves, to expanding the power of residents of modest income, to shrinking the power of the rich by establishing a larger and more representative City Council."

Einstein himself takes a less serious approach to the campaign, with his website quoting the canine politician as saying "‘I like to run. A lot! I mean A LOT!".

"So make no mistake, I can make it all the way to the finish line, and I invite you to join me!" the website adds. 

Unfortunately, even if the people of Oakland do want to see a new kind of mayor, Einstein's name will not make it onto the official ballot, with California law requiring all candidates to be voters…and human. 

The idea of a dog in office may seem like something from a terrible kids' movie, but it wouldn't be the first time a domesticated animal had seen a surprising rise to power. Stubbs, a tabby cat, has been mayor of the Alaska town of Talkeetna for nearly 20 years, a position he obtained in 1997 when he was just three months old.