2023 Utica Zoo Pre-ZOO-Dent's Campaign

In Person Voting Will Take Place February 18-20
Support Your Candidate’s Pre-ZOO-dential Campaign TODAY!
For every $10, your candidate will receive 5 extra votes! In-person voting will take place at the Utica Zoo from February 18-20. Visitors will get one ballot with admission. By helping your candidate push to the top with donations to their campaign, you are supporting the daily needs of all the animals at the Utica Zoo.
How Do I Vote in Person?
On President’s Weekend (February 18-20) each of our visitors will receive one ballot that they can cast at the designated voting area. To select your candidate, just put your ballot in the ballot box featuring your animal candidate of choice!
Additionally, on President’s Day itself (Monday, February 20th) we will have some additional Pre-ZOO-dential Themed Keeper Talks and Activities including a match the US President to their exotic pet education game.
February 20th Keeper Talk Schedule:
- 11:00am – Crane
- 11:30am – Zebra
- 12:30pm – Goat
- 2:15pm – Red Panda
- 3:00pm – Lynx
Meet the 2023 Candidates:

He may come from out in the sticks, but Breton is "feline" ready to be the "lynx" between the animals.
Coming from a less populated area of the Utica Zoo, Breton wants to be the voice for our trail animals.
Policies he supports:
- Give individuals the ability to flip their day-to-day schedules to a nighttime one, letting other nocturnal species thrive.

This 41 year old bird is ready to prove that to build up any zoo, sometimes all you need is a crane.
As the oldest member of the zoo, Creamy has been around the block once or twice. Wisdom and experience can be the most important parts of any job, and Creamy is ready to show it.
Policies he supports:
- Using his age to relate to other older voters, Creamy has spent much of his campaign trying to convince the other animals that taking medications from keepers is to help them feel better, not worse (though Creamy himself struggles with this idea as well).

Contrary to what skeptics might think by just looking at her, Zara is ready to handle issues that aren't just black and white.
At less than a year old, Zara is already willing to throw her stripes into the ring. Perhaps voters will want a newcomer’s perspective to shake things up!
Policies she supports:
- Kids should be able to hold more responsibilities at the zoo (gaining a lot of traction with younger voters).

She may not receive many votes in person, but she has a very high percentage of "Mei Lin" Voters!
After returning from some time at a different Zoo, Mei Lin is ready to use her new-found knowledge and experience to become Utica Zoo’s first ever Pre-ZOO-dent!
Policies she supports:
- Designated nap times in both work and school, and enough snack breaks during the day to eat roughly 20-30% of your own body weight in food.

Tasha is a sweetheart through and through, but if someone tries to hurt the zoo or its residents she is ready to butt heads - literally!
Tongues out for Tasha! This old lady was too busy receiving pets from everyone entering and exiting the zoo to submit her application on time, but we made an exception for her.
Policies she supports:
- More petting and hand-fed food to those that need it most – specifically her and her friends.