By DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
OCEAN CITY – After the additional mail-in ballots were counted Friday, May 15, political newcomer Jody Levchuk came out on top. He defeated incumbent Third Ward Councilman Tony Wilson by a narrow margin.
In the city’s mail-in election, with polls closed due to COVID-19 fears, residents in Ocean City’s Third Ward gave Levchuk 573 votes to Wilson’s 559.
On Tuesday night, after the initial round of mail-in ballots were counted, Levchuk led, 557 to 547. The Cape May County Board of Elections waited more than two full days for the additional ballots. The ballots had to be postmarked May 12, Election Day, but not received by then, hence the additional time.
There also were four write-in votes in the Third Ward.
There was no suspense in the other three wards. Only the ward seats were up in this election.
In the First Ward, incumbent Michael DeVlieger was unopposed. He received 688 votes; there also were 59 write-in votes.
In the Second Ward, political newcomer Tom Rotondi received 403 votes while there were 34 write-in votes. Rotondi was not opposed in the election.
In the Fourth Ward, incumbent Bob Barr was running unopposed. He received 732 votes. There also were 66 write-in votes.
In a press released issued Friday after the Board of Elections announced the new totals, Levchuk thanked the voters and said he looked forward to the transition “and working with Mayor (Jay) Gillian, city council and all of the city officials.”
“Ocean City is made up of some of the best people and business operators around,” he wrote in the release. “As a lifelong resident and business owner in Ocean City, I look forward to putting my experience to work for our community. We have a lot of work ahead. Getting businesses reopened, dealing with a new normal, and of course, tackling all of the other challenges the city faced before COVID-19 made its mark. I am not scared of hard work or long hours. Whatever it takes to get the job done in the best interest of our community.”
Noting the unusual circumstances of the pandemic, he wrote, “For the last 10 weeks I have been running a campaign, running a closed business and also running a home school for my children. It’s been a whirlwind to say the least. From the beginning, my family, and my team has reiterated to me on more than several occasions, that anything can be accomplished when you put your mind, heart and soul into it. “