5-year-old mayor in Minnesota is out after 2 terms

After serving two consecutive terms as the mayor of Dorset, Minnesota, 5-year-old Robert "Bobby" Tufts is back to civilian life.

On Sunday, 16-year-old Eric Mueller's name was pulled from a ballot box during the Taste of Dorset festival, and thus Bobby's tenure came to an end. "It was fun, but it's time to pass on the vote," he told The Associated Press.

Dorset has no formal city government and a population of less than 28. Every year, people pay $1 to vote in the election, with the proceeds paying for the festival. Bobby was first elected at age 3, and as mayor raised money for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Red River Valley. He also decided to put ice cream at the very top of the food pyramid.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Even though Bobby's political career is over, he's hoping his brother will one day get elected, starting a Tufts dynasty. "I'm gonna let James do it," Bobby said. "He's 2."