A Town Called Somerville Is Holding an Election for a New Mayor, and It’s a Cat

The state of U.S. politics has left many feeling weary (or terrified) anytime the word "election" comes up. However, a Massachusetts town has given residents something many people have been dreaming of: A candidate we can all get behind.

That's because residents of the town are holding a contest to see which of their four-legged friends could hold the honor of being elected the bike path mayor.

While the cat mayor of Somerville may be an interesting contest to watch, what makes it fun is that there are constantly new contestants entering the race, and apparently, some of them think they are purr-fect for other jobs around the town.

Want an attorney general with cat-titude? Or an anti-establishment candidate who brings a unique perspective to the cat race as a bird? Then this election is exactly what you're looking for.

Here's everything we know about the race for cat mayor.

Local NBC News affiliate NBC10 is keeping a close eye on the race for mayor, after it was discovered that a black and white tuxedo cat named Barry had been put forth as the leader of a small trail that runs through the community. This prompted several political enthusiasts to start promoting a new candidate for office, namely an orange tabby with the easy-to-remember name of Orange Cat.

Both cats were apparently regulars on the bike path before the election started heating up, but that doesn't mean that residents were only stuck with two options. Unlike politics at a federal level, it seems like the race for cat mayor isn't just a two-party system.

As such, many other candidates were able to throw their names into the ring, and their loyal human supporters worked hard to create yard signs to advertise them and their positions.

Some of the newcomers to the race include Luna, another tuxedo cat who claims to be "dressed for the job," as well as a pair of cats named Totoro and Peanut, who would like to reign over the path together. With a slogan like, "We hide from people, not responsibility," it seems like the duo have a lot going for them.

But, that doesn't mean that anyone has it in the bag. In fact, new signs are constantly being added to the bike path, according to local reporters.

And it's not just the mayor's race that is heating up, it looks like there are some cats who are also taking this opportunity to announce their desire to run for other positions in and around town, including attorney general and chief of staff.

While the local election is supposed to be kept to residents who are voting using a QR code posted along the bike path, the race has understandably garnered national attention, with people of Reddit posting about their own favorite picks. That's left many wondering how they will learn the results of the 2025 election after voting closes.

According to NBC10, the results will be announced on Sept. 5, 2025. We wish each of the cat-adates the best of luck.