Ocean City Mayoral Election in Ocean City, New Jersey

2026 Primary Election

• Jay Gillian — Incumbent Mayor of Ocean City in Ocean City, New Jersey

  Jay Gillian is the incumbent mayor of Ocean City, first elected in 2010. A lifelong resident, he graduated from Ocean City High School and earned a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Villanova University. Prior to his mayoralty, he was the owner and operator of his family's iconic local business, Gillian's Wonderland Pier, an amusement park on the Ocean City boardwalk. He has also served as the Director of the Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce, on the Ocean City Board of Education, and as chairman of the Shore Medical Center Board of Trustees. His father, Roy Gillian, also served as mayor of Ocean City.

• Keith Hartzell — Ocean City Councilman, 2nd Ward in Ocean City, New Jersey

  Keith Hartzell is a long-serving member of the Ocean City Council, having first been elected in 2006. He currently represents the 2nd Ward. A resident of Ocean City since 1986, he is a retired manager for Von Drehle Corporation, a paper products company. Hartzell has been actively involved in numerous community organizations, including serving as the former President of Main Street Ocean City and as a board member for the Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce. He was named Ocean City's Citizen of the Year in 2005 and received the Martin Luther King Community Service Award in 2007. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Gordon College.

• Peter Madden — Ocean City Council Vice President in Ocean City, New Jersey

  Peter 'Pete' Madden is the current Vice President of the Ocean City Council, where he has served as an at-large councilman for nearly 12 years, including seven years as Council President. A resident of Ocean City for over two decades, he is the broker and owner of Goldcoast Sotheby's International Realty. Originally from the Philadelphia area, Madden is a graduate of LaSalle High School and Saint Joseph's University. Before his time on City Council, he served on the Ocean City Board of Education. He is active in various community organizations, including the Ocean City Education Foundation and the Chamber of Commerce.