Chaska is no longer without a mayor.

Tuesday night, voters elected Mark Windschitl to fill the vacancy left by Gary Van Eyll. Van Eyll stepped down as mayor at the end of August after taking a job with the U.S. Census Bureau.

Windschitl defeated Jay Rohe, Bob Snyder and Doug Williams. He will be installed at the next City Council meeting on Jan. 25.

“I am very surprised,” said Windschitl, moments after the final ward reported in. “I never would have expected this spread.”

Mark Windschitl is Chaska's new mayor. With 1,399 votes, Windschitl bested Jay Rohe, Bob Snyder and Doug Williams in the special election Tuesday night. Rohe was second with 933 votes. Snyder rang up 20 votes, Williams 15. There were just two write-ins.

Mark Windschitl is Chaska's new mayor. With 1,399 votes, Windschitl bested Jay Rohe, Bob Snyder and Doug Williams in the special election Tuesday night. Rohe was second with 933 votes. Snyder rang up 20 votes, Williams 15. There were just two write-ins.

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., today (Tuesday, Jan. 19) in a special election to vote for Chaska’s next mayor.

For more information on the candidates and the special election, click here.

Where to vote:

Ward 1, Precinct 1: Chaska City Hall (1 City Hall Plaza)

Ward 1, Precinct 2: Water Treatment Plant (640 Victoria Dr.)

Ward 2, Precinct 1: St. Andrew West Lutheran Church (112090 Hundertmark Rd.)

With just days left until Chaska voters choose their next mayor, City Hall is a whir of activity with election preparations. Heading up the efforts is City Clerk Margo Steffel.

“She’s done a great job,” said City Administrator Matt Podhradsky. “She really is a one-woman show.”

Though Steffel has worked on numerous elections in her decade with the city of Chaska, she got her first chance to coordinate an election in 2008. Steffel would be the first to admit that she would have gladly waited until this November to tackle a second.

All four Chaska mayoral candidates appeared for the first and last time together Tuesday night, before voters head to the polls on Jan. 19.

A healthy-sized crowd filled the Chaska Community Center’s Community Room for the 90-minute candidate forum, sponsored by the Eastern Carver County League of Women Voters. They listened as mayoral hopefuls discussed everything from city spending and housing to parking and the sign ordinance.

Many questions focused on the economy and how Chaska’s next mayor would help the city weather the downturn.