OCEAN CITY, Md. - The Town of Ocean City will hold a municipal special election on Tuesday, April 21, to fill a vacant council seat following Tony DeLuca’s resignation earlier this year.
DeLuca stepped down effective Feb. 8 after debate over whether he met the town’s residency requirements. He said at the time his decision to resign was driven by family priorities.
Polling will take place from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Roland E. Powell Convention Center in the Dockside Exhibit Hall. Two candidates, Peter Buas and Jeff Heiser, are running to fill the open council seat.
Buas served on the Ocean City Council from 2020 to 2024, focusing on public safety, capital improvements, infrastructure investment, fiscal responsibility and strategic planning. He also ran for mayor in November 2024 but did not receive enough votes to win.
As a partner at Williams, Moore, Shockley & Harrison LLP, Buas maintains a real estate and business law practice serving people who live there, property owners and businesses.
“This town has shaped my life,” Buas said. “It’s my home, where I’ve built a career and am raising my family. I’ve had the privilege of serving before, and I am ready to serve again.”
Heiser, a former Ocean City police officer, is also running in the special election. Ocean City real estate agent Leslie Smith and Ocean City Lodge 10 have announced endorsing him. Smith initially requested an investigation into DeLuca, claiming he did not meet the residency requirement to run for council in 2024.
"I pledge to listen to local concerns, communicate and respond quickly to help resolve community challenges, fully fund public safety, and help the town grow and thrive in a fiscally responsible manner," Heiser said in a statement on Facebook.
People planning to vote by absentee ballot must submit an application by 4:30 p.m. on April 20, according to the town. Applications can be dropped off at City Hall or mailed to the Board of Supervisors of Elections of Ocean City.
Absentee ballot applications are available online or in person at city hall, where voters can complete an application and receive a ballot.
To help increase voter access, the town will offer free bus service throughout Election Day. The no-fare policy will be in effect from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. for both standard bus routes and ADA service.
Bus stops closest to the convention center are located along southbound Coastal Highway at 41st Street and northbound stops at 39th and 42nd streets.
