CORMORANT, MINNESOTA - The people of the small town of Cormorant in Minnesota just re-elected their mayor for the third time in a row - a dog named Duke.

Nine-year-old Duke won by an almost unanimous vote on Saturday (Aug 20) as no one ran against him, and just one write-in vote was cast for his girlfriend Lassie, said Duke's owner David Rick.

Duke is a Great Pyrenees and the only dog that currently holds the position of a mayor in the United States.

The people of Cormorant, a town with a population of just 1,000, are more than pleased with the results.

Resident Karen Nelson told a local TV station: "I don't know who would run against him, because he's done such great things for the community."

According to Mr Rick, the canine's first election back in 2014 was an accident.

Residents could pay US$1 (S$1.35) and submit a write-in vote, and the majority of the 12 residents who voted in that election wrote down Duke's name.

USA Today reported that his only other opponent in 2014 was a human named Richard Sherbrook, who himself voted for Duke.

According to the Daily Mail, the pooch celebrated his victory by being petted by his adoring fans at the Cormorant Daze festival where the election was held.