Tiny coastal town where politicians can buy votes in the mayor’s race — but all is not as it seems

Ever thought about buying a mayor? In one quirky California beach town, you can do it for just $1 a vote.

The tiny Central Coast town of Cambria has revived its bizarre Honorary Mayor’s Race, where anyone — including out-of-towners — can literally purchase votes. But there’s a catch.

Cambria doesn’t actually have a mayor. As an unincorporated community, the election is purely honorary, raising money for local nonprofits while poking fun at politics, according to the New Times.

The unofficial contest, returning after almost 20 years, is more about raising money and giving locals a reason to laugh at elections than about politics.

“So a dollar a vote, it’s the only time that it’s legitimate to buy your politician,” candidate Dianne “Lady Tie Di” Brooke, told KSBY.

“It’s literally an election that you can buy,” Cambria Chamber of Commerce President Renee Linn added.

Each dollar donated counts as one vote, with no limit on how many votes supporters can buy.

“Vote early, vote often,” Linn joked.

This year’s race pits Brooke of the Cambria Grammar School PTA against Barrett Stuart of the Cambria Tennis Club, Jim Bahringer of the American Legion and Del Clegg of the Cambria Rotary Club.

The candidates have fully embraced the silliness.

Bahringer’s campaign “promises to keep as much fog out of Cambria as possible, especially at sunsets.”

Brooke, famous for her colorful tie-dye outfits and hand-painted car, has a different vision. “I have color and I’m not afraid to use it. I think we need more color in Cambria, tie-dye on every kid,” she said.

Stuart went even further: “I basically promised Cambrians immortality and it’s a four-point plan.”

The campaign has included pie-eating contests, dancing, and even wilder campaign promises.

“We all got roped into doing it,” Stuart told New Times about a surprise pie-eating contest during Cambria’s Fourth of July celebration.

“Thank goodness they used the small pies. There’s no way we would’ve done the big man-sized pies.”

Before the contest even started, three of the candidates wandered off to dance with a live band.

“It was kind of joyous,” Stuart said. “Lady Tie Di was out there dancing, my sister got me dancing, and eventually we convinced Jim to come out too. It was just a really nice moment.”

But there is a serious fundraising effort behind the jokes.

The money raised is split between the Cambria Chamber of Commerce and the candidates’ chosen charities—supporting everything from school field trips and public tennis courts to veterans’ programs and Rotary projects.

“It’s a win-win,” Stuart said. “You raise money for your organization, you meet more people, and you get to be part of something that’s making the community smile.”

The honorary winner will be crowned at a celebration in September and will spend the next year as the town’s “official but unofficial” mayor.