Filing Deadline, School Referendum Highlight Busy Week in Ocean City

Ocean City’s non-partisan municipal elections get into full swing on Monday.

Monday at 4 p.m. is the deadline for candidates to file their petition to run in spring elections for mayor and three at-large seats.

In addition to Mayor Jay Gillian, Council members Michael Allegretto, Keith Hartzell and Scott Ping are all up for re-election.

All petitions will need to be certified before the drawing to determine ballot position takes place on Friday at 4 p.m. The drawing takes place outside the City Clerk’s Office next to the firehouse on 5th Street and West Avenue.

The deadline to vote in the elections is April 22. On that night, there will be mandated evening voter registration in the Offices of the County Commissioners of Registration. The deadline to apply for mail-in ballots is May 6.

Election Day is May 13.

Ocean City voters won’t have to wait until then to hit the polls, though.

One day after the filing deadline, the school district will ask voters to head to the polls to vote on renovations for the Ocean City Primary School.

The district is requesting $2,497,421.47 from the public to help fund a $6,653,368 project for various improvements.

The district already received a grant from the state for $2,399,279 for priority needs, and it will use $1,756,667.53 from its capital reserve fund for non-priority needs.

The district estimates the tax increase for the average Ocean City homeowner will be $15.39 a year for the next 10 years.

Polls are open between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Tuesday, and for a list of polling locations, click here.

If that wasn’t enough, city council will convene for its regularly scheduled meeting Thursday night at the library, 7 p.m. The agenda for the meeting will be posted early next week.