Election Fun-raiser

“It’s the best mayor money can buy.”

Mike Druey, Pastor and resident of Los Molinos, California

The citizens of Los Molinos, California (population 2,002) claim bragging rights to the best mayor money can buy. That’s kind of true. The candidates running for mayor seem to be good folks, and they’re all doing a bang-up job of raising money, but the thing is, Los Molinos doesn’t really have a mayor at all. The town is unincorporated so the title is purely honorary. So what’s with all of the money being raised? That’s how this election is decided—not by ballots but by bucks. The candidate who raises the most money wins. When the fundraising is done and a winner declared, all of the money raised goes to pay for the town’s 4th of July parade and celebration.

Five candidates are running this year. There’s a Vietnam veteran who dresses up as Captain America and is holding softball and horseshoe tournaments, a bartender who’s putting on a luau and pig roast, and a gal who’s hosting a rodeo and steer roping. The most elaborate fundraiser is a 130-mile Poker Run, where folks ride motorcycles and cars from spot to spot and stop and get a playing card and refreshments before continuing on their way. At the end, players compare the hands they were dealt—winners receive prizes and everyone celebrates with dinner, music, and camping. And then there’s the campaign by a lifelong Los Molinos resident who has attended nearly every 4th of July celebration since she was born. It’s all about her jingle:

My name is Sabrina,

Last name Fritz,

Vote for me

And I’ll show you my pits!

(armpits, that is)

I’ve got to say, this is my kind of election—light on politics and heavy on partying, poker, and pits.

Read the Article ® Small-town mayoral race is a kick