Albert Lea residents selected 1st Ward Councilor Vern Rasmussen as their new mayor Tuesday — though at this point it is unknown whether he will begin in the position immediately or wait until the start of the year.

According to the election results, Rasmussen received 4,200 votes, or 62 percent, while former Mayor Mike Murtaugh received 1,930 votes, or 28 percent. Write-in candidates got 677 votes, or 10 percent.

“It’s been a great opportunity for me to do this,” said Rasmussen, 46, a physical therapist. “I’m elated at the opportunity to be in this seat.”

He has served on the Albert Lea City Council for almost six years.

Murtaugh, who announced in September he had resigned from the position after the death of his wife, Geri, could not be reached for comment.

“At this point now as a community we need to continue to look ahead,” Rasmussen said. “We all need to be involved in the discussion to make Albert Lea a successful place to be.”

The election comes as Albert Lea faces several hardships without a city manager, finance director or sitting mayor.

Because of the situation the city is in, Rasmussen must now decide whether he wants to start as mayor right away or whether to wait until January and finish out the year as 1st Ward councilman.

If he accepts the position effective immediately, there will be a special election for his 1st Ward seat. If Rasmussen waits until January to start, he and the City Council can appoint someone for the 1st Ward seat.

Rasmussen said he wants to spend a little time weighing the options and seeking input from the council. He plans to make his decision within the next couple of days.

He said his goals for office include helping the city financially — as the city prepares for tight budget times — and encouraging a strong service base in the city. He also wants to empower city staff to be out-of-the-box thinkers and to be proactive in their ideas.

Lastly, he wants to promote open communication with all staff and city leaders.

Classic rock disc jockey Ron Hunter, who launched a write-in campaign for the mayoral seat 12 days ago, said though he was not ultimately successful in his efforts, he thanked everyone who took the time to write his name in as a candidate.

He said he ran on the platform that the city’s residents would like to have more involvement and a say regarding their local leaders.

“Overall, what a tremendous experience,” Hunter said.

He plans to follow up with election leaders regarding his exact vote on Wednesday. An official breakdown of the write-in candidates was unavailable as of Wednesday morning.

Hunter said he was pleased with the support he got from the younger voters — especially people ages 45 and younger. He said he thinks he will be back on the campaign trail at some time, thought he did not know exactly when.

Look to www.AlbertLeaTribune.com as more about this race unfolds.