OCEAN PINES—The Ocean Pines Association 2013 Election Committee is beginning a busy two weeks as the Aug. 8 deadline for submitting ballots in the Board of Directors election nears, Committee Chairwoman Judy Butler said July 29. There are six candidates to fill three open positions on the board of directors: Jack Collins, Bill Cordwell, Roland Langevin, Les Purcell, Tom Terry and Ray Unger.

According to the election committee, eligible members who opt to mail in their ballots must do so early enough that the ballots are received by Aug. 8. Members who want to submit their ballots in person can drop them off in the ballot box located inside the Police Station at the OPA Administration Building by 6 p.m. on Aug. 8.

Butler said she will deliver the election results, which will be announced at the annual community meeting on Aug. 10 at 10 a.m. at the Community Center at 235 Ocean Parkway. “If you are unable to attend the Annual Meeting, you should complete the Quorum Proxy form enclosed with your election materials and return the form in the enveloped marked Proxy,” the committee said.

Butler said 7,500 ballots were mailed out for this year’s election and encouraged all who are eligible to vote. “I hope people understand that the people on the board are key to the success of this community because of the importance of the decisions they make, especially the fiduciary decisions,” she said.

For the most part, Ocean Pines residents are pretty diligent in meeting their civic duty to vote, Butler said. In the three years she has served, the vote

count has ranged from 3,500-5,000, she said. The higher range number was from the vote on the referendum on whether to renovate the Yacht Club,

she said. “The community was very engaged on that vote,” she said. Campaign signs have decorated the landscape throughout the community and in the final days leading up to the election the candidates were making their final bids to woo voters who have not yet cast their ballots.

“I would like to remind those that have not yet cast their ballot to give that a lot of thought. I have seen firsthand during my four years on the Board that board members who stick doggedly to a single agenda accomplish next to nothing, including the ones who get the most Press,” Purcell said.

“The question that each of us has to ask is, ‘Do we keep moving forward like we have been for the last couple of years or do we stop the progress?’” Cordwell said. “The only way to answer that question is for folks to mark their ballots and put them in the mail.”

“OPA Member participation is critical to having the majority voice heard,” Tom Terry said. “Your vote counts. It sets the future direction of the community.”

Terry continued: “While I will not attack other candidates who have willingly stepped up to offer to serve; there are differences in the visions various candidates have for our future. Board members will not always agree, but the disagreements must be based on facts and logical thinking; not rancor.”

“This election campaign went by very quickly and it seems like only yesterday that I drove to the administration center to register for the race,”

Collins said. “The numerous phone calls and e-mails I received during the campaign were examples of a caring membership that desires to elect someone with whom they can identify.”

Collins called the campaign a “rewarding experience.” Questions or requests for replacement ballots can be answered at the Elections telephone number 410-208-3989. The Elections Committee said its representatives will be monitoring messages until Aug. 9.