Bill Barlow

OCEAN CITY — The city may be looking at a rematch of the 2022 mayoral race, in which incumbent Jay Gillian held off a challenge from City Council member Keith Hartzell.

Hartzell has not yet said whether he will run again, and the May vote is months away. What is already clear is that the issue of the former Wonderland amusement park will play a part in city election campaigns in 2026.

Gillian said Friday he will “absolutely” seek another term, which would be his fifth.

Hartzell, who has been one of the most vocal opponents of hotels on the Boardwalk on the governing body, said Friday he is considering whether to run for mayor again but is not ready to make an announcement.

Hartzell made the possibility of high-rise hotels on the Boardwalk a centerpiece of his last campaign

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