I was 19th person to vote for Chaska mayor today

Polls opened at 7 a.m., and City Hall was still eerily quiet at 7:30. This is a special election to replace Chaska’s former mayor, who resigned to take a job with the U.S. Census. There are four names on the ballot, but I get the feeling the race is really between two – Jay Rohe and Mark Windschitl.

Since we are downtown Chaska residents — living in a 120 year-old ouse just outside the historic district but only a half block off mainstreet — the candidate’s plan for downtown was my key voting criteria. Just prior to our move to Chaska, Rohe and the city council pushed a longtime business out with eminent domain — a lot that 3 years later is still an empty field. So there’s little question that my particular concern is the use of eminent domain to turn my neighbors’ homes into parking lots. In fact, it’s already been proposed as part of the Downtown Business Council’s recent recommendation.

I had the opportunity to email some questions back and forth with Windschitl, who explained his view on eminent domain (a necessary tool for city’s to have in their toolbox, but not one to use lightly). It’s not a promise not to bulldoze my house, but spoke louder than a prior ED fail by his competitor. So he got my vote, and I got my first front yard campaign sign and my first chance to coerce my Chaskan coworkers about a local race I care a lot about.

Just hope more folks turn out today. It took less than 4 minutes to be part of democracy today, if that’s any consideration. :)