By Tara Fischer

Staff Writer

(Aug. 13, 2026) The Ocean Pines Association’s governing body will look different this year after challenger Amy Peck ousted incumbent Elaine Brady in the summer’s board of directors election.

In the OPA’s 2026 board election, five homeowners campaigned three open seats. The winners were announced Friday afternoon.

Incumbent John Latham, returning director Patrick Lehnerd, and challenger Amy Peck secured the most votes, each earning a place as an Ocean Pines director. Incumbent Elaine Brady and Bill Pickett failed to win a spot on the community board.

John Latham

Latham, who served as the board’s president this past year, earned 1,503 votes to maintain his seat. Lehnerd, who was appointed in March to fill the seat left by the early resignation of director Steve Jacobs, received 1,473, and Peck garnered 1,421. Brady fell short of holding her position, securing 1,116 ballots, while Pickett received 1,021.

Per a press release issued by the association Latham and Lehnerd will receive three-year terms. Peck will finish the last two years of the term previously filled by Jacobs, who was reelected last summer but stepped down from the board this past spring.

The successful candidates expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to lead OPA.

 “I’d like to thank the homeowners of the OPA for supporting my re-election for three more years,” Latham told the Bayside Gazette this week. “I am excited to continue to serve our great community. I’d like to thank all the candidates who campaigned.”

Patrick Lehnerd

Peck took to Facebook to share her thoughts on the election.

“Over the past weeks, I’ve had the chance to talk with so many neighbors about the issues that matter to Ocean Pines, including fiscal responsibility, thoughtful priorities, community input, transparency, and leadership that truly listens,” she wrote. “Those conversations reminded me how much this community cares about its future.”

As for Lehnerd, he noted he’s “thrilled” by the support he received and said he’s excited to continue his work on the board.

“I’m looking forward to three years of working with the board and operations and the community to continue to make this the safest place in Maryland and look for opportunities to improve on safety, primarily on our roads for pedestrians and cyclists,” he told the Bayside Gazette on Monday.

And I’m on the communications work group. I think that the board and operations are improving [with communication] as we speak, but there’s always room for further improvement, so I’ll look to see that we continue down that path.”

Amy Peck

At Saturday’s annual meeting, OPA Election Committee Chair Steve Ransdell provided some statistics from this year’s voting. Ransdell said that of the roughly 8,500 Ocean Pines property owners, 2,492, or 29%, voted. In last summer’s board election, 2,824 homeowners, or 33%, voted.

Ransdell added that 795 homeowners were not allowed to vote because of unresolved violations by the Compliance, Permit and Inspections Department or because their membership fees were not paid in full by the ballot-casting deadline. About 32% of the 7,756 eligible voters participated in this summer’s election.

Voters had the option to submit their ballots either by paper or electronically. The election committee chair said 1,802 votes were delivered the old-fashioned way while 690 were cast online.

“We can do better,” he said at last week’s meeting. “Please, get involved. At least take the time to go online, click the link and cast your votes so you truly have a say in what these folks do for us.”

Ransdell noted that 146 ballot packets were undeliverable and encouraged residents to keep their contact information current to ensure voting materials can be sent to them in the future.

Of those undeliverable ballots, Ransdell said, “Again, wasted money. That gets thrown in the trash. And that’s because homeowners have not updated their mailing and email address with OPA. I encourage you to do that. You can change it as often as you want …We strongly encourage you to do that.”

Homeowners can easily update their details on the official Ocean Pines app.

Furthermore, Ransdell urged voters to move away from paper ballots next year and adopt the simpler online option because it saves the association money.

“Every piece of mail that moves in the election, either to you or back from you, costs the association money,” Ransdell said. “The online voting costs us whatever we agreed to pay for that—And its instantaneous results. As the election chairman and as a homeowner, I encourage everyone to vote online. It’s quicker, easier, and less expensive for us.”

The 2026 election outcome was certified at a special board meeting on Tuesday.