FAIRHOPE, Ala. — “I think that people are paying closer attention to the election now,” said Tress Turner. “You can tell that by the way people are talking about it at The Coffee Loft.”

She’s speaking about the possible impact of her dog, Willie Bean, on voter turnout in the Aug. 26 elections following the media frenzy that greeted the announcement a few short weeks ago that this 7-year-old yellow Labrador retriever had tossed his collar in the crowded race for mayor with seven humans vying for the job.

“I do think it is adding some spirit and life and energy (to the local elections),” said Turner, who manages The Coffee Loft on North Section Street. “And I believe a lot of people really love his campaign.”

That’s an understatement of Great Dane proportions.

After the Mobile Press-Register ran a story about the dog’s fanciful “candidacy” for mayor three Sundays ago, which was picked up by the Associated Press on Monday, by midweek he was being mentioned on “Late Night with David Letterman” and “Fox News with Britt Hume.” News stories about the dog and his late entry into the race circled the globe that week on the Internet, and Turner found herself in the middle of a media storm, doing radio interviews from distant cities.

Although he doesn’t speak often and chases few sticks, his was the bark heard ‘round the world.

By the end of that week, the “handsomest candidate in the race,” as he’s been described, had received a formal invitation to appear at the Aug. 14 mayoral forum at the Eastern Shore Art Center, sponsored by the Fairhope Downtown Business Association.

But it now appears if the canine candidate attends at all, he will be outside the building only, and in a fundraising capacity for a local charity, said Pete Blohme, the group’s president who will moderate the event.

“I am not going to bring Willie Bean anywhere it will distract from the serious candidates,” Turner said. “That is not what this is about. I don’t want this to be a sideshow, or freak show, or take away from the very serious issues facing our city in this election.”

Whether Willie Bean’s 15 minutes of fame (which put the city’s mayoral election on the global map) will be counted in dog minutes or will translate into higher voter turnout, or more informed debate on the issues over coffee at local popular gathering spots, is debatable.

However, one thing is clear. His support of the fundraising efforts of the Baldwin Animal Rescue Center is no joke. That group’s efforts to raise about $25,000 to create a local dog park could not have dreamed up a better spokesanimal for the job.

While registered voters will cast their ballots for one of the seven qualified mayoral candidates later this month, residents can cast a greenback vote for Willie that will make Fairhope a better place for its four-legged inhabitants. This balloting with bucks effort officially launched Friday evening at ArtWalk. Organizers plan to keep it going at least until Aug. 26 and perhaps beyond should there be a runoff.

“Each dollar collected counts as a vote for Willie Bean and raises 50 cents for the new Fairhope Dog Park and 50 cents for BARC’s spay-and-neuter program,” said Kathy Eddy, the group’s executive director. “We urge everyone, young and old, registered voters and unregistered voters, to ‘vote early and vote often.’ This in no way impugns the character of the number of fine candidates running in the more traditional human race for mayor. It’s just a good way to have fun and raise money for two great causes.”

Votes (tax-deductible donations) may be mailed to BARC, P.O. Box 206, Fairhope, AL 36533, dropped off at the Coffee Loft, or placed at Willie Bean’s official campaign Web site: www.williebeanformayor.com. Profits from the sale of Willie Bean’s campaign memorabilia will also go to BARC and the park.