Shakopee Mayoral Candidates React To Results

Shakopee residents opted for new leadership Tuesday, electing  as mayor by 365 votes. They split, however, when it came to choosing city council members, voting in new councilor Jay Whiting and retaining Matt Lehman from a nine-candidate pool.

“The real work begins Jan. 1,” Tabke wrote on his website. “Shakopee will have a new feel in its government. It will be more collaborative, communicative and concerned with the residents of Shakopee.”

Current Mayor Schmitt, who is retired, wouldn't commit when asked about running for mayor again in 2013.

“This was a different week to say the least,” he said after his defeat. “I might take a vacation.” 

It's difficult for Shakopee mayors elected to two-year terms, he said, because they practically have to turn around and start running again. A motion from city staff to change each mayor’s term to four years was denied recently by the council.

City staff will take care of any training Tabke might need, Schmitt added.

"I have no plans to talk to him," he said.

By the Numbers

Although waiting three hours for election results felt long for some Shakopee residents Tuesday night, the election process went off without a hitch, according to city officials.

“I was very pleased,” said City Clerk Judy Cox. “Everything went rather smoothly.”

The majority of precinct results were posted before 10 p.m., with a bit of a lull while the last two precincts reported to the Scott County Courthouse.

Voter turnout was 21.8 percent with 4,195 ballots cast, which Cox described as “fairly typical” in an off-year. In 2009, 23.8 percent of registered voters cast a ballot, and Cox attributed the higher number then to a ballot with five mayoral candidates, compared to this year's two.

Shakopee also registered an additional 129 voters on election day, bringing the total registered here to 19,223.