OCEAN CITY – With the election less than two weeks away, City Council candidate Nancy Bolt withdrew from the race today.

On Thursday morning at about 11:30 a.m., Ocean City Council candidate Nancy Bolt reported to The Dispatch she had withdrawn from the 2014 Ocean City municipal election. Bolt was not prepared to make an official statement at that time as to why she made the decision and asked for time to gather her thoughts.

City Clerk Kelly Allmond confirmed shortly after that Bolt’s withdrawal was official as she had received notice in writing.

“At this time, I respectfully withdraw from the race for City Council,” Bolt’s email to Allmond stated.

Prior to Bolt withdrawing, there were a total of eight candidates running to fill four vacant council seats in the election to be held on Nov. 4 — incumbent Council President Lloyd Martin, former Councilman Joe Hall, and newcomers Bolt, who was the only female candidate, Joe Cryer, Tony DeLuca, Wayne Hartman, Matthew James and Christopher Rudolf.

Bolt attended the Citizens For Ocean City Candidate Meet and Greet on Wednesday night at Seacrets. A video posted on the group’s Facebook page later featured the four candidates the group has endorsed — DeLuca, Hartman, Martin and Rudolf. It was just the next morning Bolt announced her decision to remove herself from the ballot.

Allmond confirmed at 11 a.m. on Thursday, just prior to Bolt’s announcement to withdraw, the Citizens For Ocean City group had filed a Freedom of Information Act with the Town of Ocean City regarding Bolt, but by 12:30 p.m. the group had withdrawn the request.

“The request was for information of any inaction/payment, nonpayment or any other business between Ocean Minded Construction/Nancy Bolt and the Town of Ocean City,” Allmond said. “That was formally withdrawn.”

As far as the legal process of a candidate being removed from the ballot, it is as simple as removing the name from the list, stated Allmond. According to City Solicitor Guy Ayres, the Charter of Ocean City does not require action for a candidate to withdraw from the election.

When reached by phone Thursday afternoon, Bolt said she was unaware of the FOIA filing until told by this reporter.