Voters reject short-term rental restrictions in Ocean City special election

OCEAN CITY, Md. - A special election in Ocean City ended with voters rejecting a proposed ordinance that would have placed stricter limits on short-term rentals in residential neighborhoods and mobile home districts.

The final tally came down to just 34 votes—800 in favor of the new rules and 834 against—effectively scrapping the ordinance that had been temporarily paused pending the election.

The proposed measure would have required a minimum five-night stay for short-term rentals in residential neighborhoods and mobile home districts starting in 2025, increasing to 31 nights by 2027. Town officials estimated the rules would have affected about 300 of Ocean City’s roughly 9,000 rental properties.

The vote caps months debate between supporters of the ordinance—who argued the rules were necessary to preserve the peace and residential feel of year-round neighborhoods—and opponents who saw the policy as an overreach.

“I’m thrilled with the results,” said Terry Miller, a local resident who led the campaign against the ordinance. “I was hoping it would be more of a landslide, but we won. We worked so hard. We’re kind of a ragtag bunch. None of us had any experience in this type of thing.”

John McMahon, who supported the measure, expressed disappointment but hinted the issue may not be settled for good. “A little disappointing. It’s a very close election. I don’t think this is over. We’ll see what happens. It’ll be up to the mayor and city council to decide what they want to do.”

With the ordinance now defeated, city officials could go back to the drawing board. Much like rewriting the blueprint after a building permit is denied, the Ocean City Council still has the option to propose a new ordinance that addresses short-term rental concerns in residential zones—potentially with different terms or compromises that might earn broader support.