Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian is running for his fifth term.
Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian made it official by filing his nominating papers Wednesday to run for a fifth term in the May 12 municipal election.
“Today, I proudly submitted my petitions for re-election. Thank you for your continued support and trust. I’m ready to keep providing strong, proven leadership and keep our community moving forward – together,” he said in a posting on his “Gillian for Mayor” Facebook page.
Gillian included a video of him submitting his nominating petitions at the City Clerk’s Office while joined by his wife, Michele, and his campaign supporters.
“Serving this community has been an honor, and I’m grateful for the trust you’ve place in me. Together, we’ve made real progress and there’s more work ahead. I’m running for re-election to continue building on that momentum – stay focused on the priorities that matter most and keep moving our community forward,” he said in the video.
Candidates are facing a deadline of 4 p.m. Thursday to submit their nominating petitions to run in the election.
Gillian’s opponent, Keith Hartzell, submitted his petitions last week. Hartzell currently serves as the Second Ward councilman, but will challenge Gillian in the mayor’s race in a repeat of their 2022 matchup that saw Gillian win by 395 votes.
The election also includes the three at-large seats on City Council held by incumbents Pete Madden, Sean Barnes and Tony Polcini. Longtime Ocean City resident and community leader Jim Kelly announced Tuesday that he is running for an at-large seat.
The sprawling facade of the now-closed Wonderland Pier overlooks the Boardwalk at Sixth Street.Gillian formally announced on Feb. 1 that he would be seeking re-election. He has been mayor since 2010, and is running for his fifth, four-year term amid personal financial struggles, including filing for bankruptcy in December and the closing of his family business, the iconic Wonderland Pier amusement Park, in 2024.
Wonderland’s closing led to Gillian filing for personal bankruptcy in December. He and his wife, Michele, the executive director of the Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce, sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to reorganize what are about $5.8 million in personal debts. The mayor is also being sued for about $600,000 in unpaid debt tied to Wonderland Pier.
Gillian maintained in a video message on Feb. 1 announcing his re-election bid that his personal bankruptcy “has nothing to do with my public service.”
“Using a personal loss to question the integrity of this administration or the work we’ve done for Ocean City is unfair to the outstanding professionals and dedicated volunteers who serve this city with integrity every day,” he said.
With Hartzell jumping into the mayor’s race, it sets up another high-profile campaign pitting two of Ocean City’s best-known politicians.
Hartzell has served on City Council since 2006, the longest of any member on the governing body. He formerly was an at-large councilman, but stepped down after running for mayor in 2022. He returned to Council in 2024 by winning election as the councilman representing the city’s Second Ward.
Councilman Keith Hartzell is taking his second shot at becoming mayor.In an interview with OCNJDaily.com in January, Hartzell explained that he has been working on the finer points of his campaign while he goes door-to-door to talk with Ocean City residents.
“I try to get out in town to cross sections of different types of people and then find out where I’m at. And then really fine-tune it. I think at this time, it’s not a campaign mode, it is more of a learning mode and then when your kickoff comes, that’s when you say, “This is why I’m running and this is what I’m trying to do,’” he said.
Hartzell has often spoken about his love for the Second Ward and about how much he enjoys being its councilman. But he also said he believes it is time for him to become mayor.
“So, yeah, was it my dream job? Sure, absolutely,” Hartzell said of representing the Second Ward. “But at the same time, there’s things that I see that I want changed, and if I’m right about those, the way to get that done expediently is to be mayor,” he added.
