Eastsound Mayoral Race Debates: Sounds Like a Barnyard!

Mayoral Candidate Caprica at the Fair with 4-H Member Brigid Ehrmantraut

By Brigid Ehrmantraut

With only five days left to go, the annual Eastsound Mayoral elections are wrapping up.

But not to worry, there is still plenty of time left to vote! New this year are candidate debates. The public has a chance to see what each of the critters running for office has to add to such topics as the biggest issues facing Orcas today, how to solicit campaign dollars, individual political platforms, and more. Candidates’ posts can be found at Honorary Mayor of Eastsound, WA.

The Mayoral Race is a fundraiser for local nonprofit Children’s House. Every dollar contributed to a particular animal’s campaign counts as one ‘vote.’ People are encouraged to vote often for their favorite candidates either online at Eastsound Mayoral Campaign 2012, or at any of the numerous voting boxes located in local businesses around town and at the Farmer’s Market. This year’s candidates include some pretty interesting critters!

Caprica the pygmy goat is primarily concerned with inter-island diplomacy and supporting island youth.  You may have seen her and her siblings in the field outside of town by the barn the graduating High School class paints every year. As a past 4-H animal who has won numerous prizes at the San Juan County Fair, she feels uniquely qualified to represent Eastsound’s concerns around the county:

“My experience in the public sector will make me an excellent, friendly and cosmopolitan mayor!”

If you’ve been to the Historical Museum, you’ve probably had a chance to meet Mr. Antiquus, the prehistoric bison. Good nutrition and the environment are a few of his chief concerns, or as he likes to put it:

“When I grew up here on Orcas Island some 14,000 years ago, I had plenty of good clean grass, and great cool drinking water. There was no trash, junk, chemicals or such things to mess up my environment, just pure unadulterated living!”

A new animal represented this year is a human whose identity will remain secret until after the election. The Biped, as it likes to be known is dedicated, believes itself to be “the safe vote” and is very proud of its ability to walk around town on two legs.

Mofo the rooster is another sort of biped–the sort who as feathers. He is dedicated to small government and improving the economy:

“I don’t want all the little ones I’m trying to help to be in debt the minute they become adults.”

This year there are two birds running for Mayor of Eastsound. Sir Clarence the peacock makes up the rest of the avian constituency. If elected, he would start the first chapter of “Planned Parenthood for Peacocks” in Eastsound and address the tragic lack of French Toast on the island.

Last but not least is the write-in canine candidate, Murphy the Portuguese Water Dog. He is mostly concerned with the state of animal health care in Eastsound and with canine under-representation in local government, and vows to construct an Eastsound City Hall upon election.

Check out candidates opinions online and don’t forget to vote before July 7!