The tiny coastal town has revived one of its quirkiest traditions after more than two decades: the Honorary Mayor’s Race, an unofficial election where votes are purchased by the dollar, campaign promises don’t have to make any sense, and eating pie in front of a crowd is considered an acceptable political strategy.
This year’s ballot features Jim Bahringer for American Legion Post 432, Del Clegg for the Cambria Rotary Club, Barrett Stuart for the Cambria Tennis Club, and Dianne “Lady Tie Di” Brooke for the Cambria Grammar School PTA.
“It’s literally an election that you can buy,” Cambria Chamber of Commerce President Renee Linn told New Times with a laugh.
As an unincorporated community, Cambria doesn’t have a mayor or city council.
Decades ago, locals filled the void by inventing an office—not to govern, but to raise money, poke fun at politics, and celebrate the kind of eccentric personalities that seem to thrive in small coastal communities.
The tradition disappeared in the early 2000s before Linn decided it deserved another campaign this year.
“I remembered it from when [I] first moved here,” Linn said. “I thought, this is kind of a fun thing to do for the community. … I thought we all needed some fun these days.”
One can vote as often and as much as one can afford, with each dollar counting as a vote.
“So a dollar a vote it’s the only time that it’s legitimate to buy your politician,” Brooke said.
The Cambria Chamber of Commerce keeps 75 percent of the money raised, while the winning candidate directs the remaining 25 percent to a nonprofit of their choosing.
As of July 13, candidates have raised roughly $9,000 collectively, with Brooke leading the race.
During Cambria’s Fourth of July Picnic in the Park, candidates delivered three-minute stump speeches before organizers casually informed them they would also be participating in a pie-eating contest.
“We all got roped into doing it,” Stuart said. “Thank goodness they used the small pies. There’s no way we would’ve done the big man-sized pies.”
Clegg said part of the funds for the mayor campaign is going to put solar panels down in Mexico City so that it enhances their water.
“My campaign slogan is to keep fog out of, off the coast especially on sunsets,” Bahringer said.
“I have color and I’m not afraid to use it. I think we need more color in Cambria, tye dye on every kid,” Brooke said.
“I basically promised Cambrians immortality and it’s a four point plan,” Stuart said.
This contest has remained dormant for 18 years in Cambria and the Chamber decided to pick it up as a fun happening for the community and for other non-profit groups to raise funds.
As part of the town’s Honorary Mayor’s Race, candidates make outrageous campaign promises and fundraise for votes.
Unlike a typical political race, instead of opponents sending out brutal attack ad mailers, they enter pie-eating contests and dance with each other at community events.
The honorary Mayor’s Race closes on Saturday night, September 5th with a gala patriotic event sponsored by Cambria Lions Club and the Cambria Chamber of Commerce.