By DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
OCEAN CITY – The Ocean City Council election will be taking place as scheduled on May 12, but all voting will be by mail-in ballots only.
The Ocean City Clerk’s office released a special notice on the city’s website – ocnj.us – that there will be no voting at the polls on Election Day. All voting will be by mail only.
In Ocean City, there are four ward council seats up for election, but only one seat is contested in the Third Ward.
Boardwalk businessman Jody Levchuk is challenging incumbent Third Ward Councilman Tony Wilson.
Levchuk, 43, who is seeking office for the first time, is the director of operations at JiLLy’s Stores, which includes JiLLy’s T-Shirt Factory, JiLLy’s Ice Cream Factory, and JiLLy’s French Fry Factory.
Wilson, 50, has served on council for nine years. He owns Wilson Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning.
Two incumbents, First Ward Councilman Michael DeVlieger and Fourth Ward Councilman Bob Barr, are running unopposed. In the Second Ward, newcomer Tom Rotondo is running unopposed for the seat vacated by Antwan McClellan, who vacated his seat after being elected to the New Jersey Assembly.
“Due to the public health concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be no voting at the polls for the May 12 municipal election in Ocean City,” the City Clerk’s Office posted. “This action is pursuant to Gov. Murphy’s Executive Order No. 105. All registered voters in Ocean City will receive a ballot by mail, which can be returned with postage pre-paid. No sample ballots will be mailed for this election.”
The office provided the following information for the May 12 election.
To cast your ballot: Look for the official ballot in your regular mail (this will not be a sample ballot). Complete the ballot and return (postage is pre-paid). Ballots must be postmarked by May 12.
To register to vote or update your mailing address: Visit capemaycountyvotes.com to print forms that must be returned (postage pre-paid) by April 21.
To request a vote by mail ballot: If you are living away from your permanent address, you can have a ballot mailed to your temporary address. Visit capemaycountyvotes.com to print forms that can be returned up to seven days prior to the election.