UPDATE: Mayor Jay Gillian Addresses Mistake on Election Enforcement Report

UPDATED, 8:30 P.M.: Information Mayor Jay Gillian received from the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission on how to correct an erroneous filing was incorrect and he has returned $10,000 to his father, Gillian said Thursday evening.

"I have returned the loan in its entirety and will seek further direction from the ELEC as to how to properly report this matter on my final campaign finance reports," Gillian said. "I said when I became Mayor when I make a mistake I'll tell the residents of Ocean City. In trying to respect my father's wish to help I unfortunately made a mistake. I have now corrected the matter."

Earlier in the day, Gillian contacted the Commission after learning he had inadvertently filed a loan as a contribution on his filing that he submitted on May 2. The filing, with the error, was made public on May 8.

"I inadvertently reported a $10,000 loan from my father as a contribution to my campaign," Gillian said in a release issued Thursday afternoon. "When this was brought to my attention I immediately contacted the N.J. Election Law Enforcement Commission to determine what needed to be done to correct this. I was instructed to file an amended report and I immediately did so.

"I have said from the beginning of my campaign that I did not intend to accept contributions and that remains the case."

Had the loan made by Roy Gillian to his son been a contribution, it would have been a violation, as the law enforcement commission caps a contribution an individual can make to a candidate at $2,600.

The erroneous contribution was the only one Gillian listed on his report, released Thursday morning. To date, the report lists $35,000 in contributions, prior to Gillian filing his amended report.

According to the report, Gillian has spent $23,989.15 on his campaign as of May 2.

Price has received $15,345 to date, including $1,475 from James Ginn during the last reporting period. He's spent $8,920 on his campaign.

The non-partisan municipal elections are May 13.