- Voting was uneventful early Tuesday in Lehigh County
- That was in stark contrast to Northampton County, where problems with voting machines pushed voters to paper ballots
- Some voters said they came out to make their vote count in the school board elections; Others said they wanted to see what candidates would do for the community
SOUTH WHITEHALL TOWNSHIP, Pa. — At the polling station at Calvary Temple, voting machines were working without a hitch Tuesday morning.
"We have the best polling machines in the county," one elections officer said. "They always work."
It was in stark contrast to voting issues that plagued Northampton County early Tuesday, with major problems at multiple districts.
Most of those problems appeared resolved by around 10:30 a.m., though County Executive Lamont McClure said officials were still "gathering all the facts."
Meanwhile, it was business as usual in Lehigh County.
At least 133 people had voted at Calvary Temple by 9:20 a.m., officials said.
"It's basically, what are you gonna do for the community? How are you going to make it better?"Voter Dave St. Hill
One of them was Dave St. Hill, a softball coach in the Whitehall area. He wore a baseball cap and a bright red T-shirt that said in big letters: "The will to win is useless without the will to prepare" across the back.
When asked what's most important to him while deciding who to vote for, he said, "the candidate."
"I like to see what the candidate has to offer, like Diane over here," he said, giving a wave to Diane Kelly, a candidate for South Whitehall Township commissioner, who was standing outside the building handing out brochures.
"It's basically, what are you gonna do for the community? How are you going to make it better?" St. Hill said.
Campaigns 'absolutely wild'
Voters in Lehigh County were casting ballots for county commissioners, county controller and several school board and municipal races, as well as for statewide judges.
Another person voting bright and early was Alexandra Lamperti, who said she was most interested in making her vote count in the school board election.
She lives in Parkland School District, where she has two young children, including a baby named Camille, who she brought out to the polling station (Camille did not vote, she jokingly clarified).
Lamperti said her biggest concern was the state of the discourse among school board candidates.
"I don't have thoughts specifically about the school board itself, but … all of the campaign materials have been absolutely wild," Lamperti said.
"And, frankly, I think some of those materials are really overstating one way or the other in how certain candidates will behave when they're on the school board.
“And so, you know, there's lots of marketing coming out about, like banned books and things like that. And I, you know, I just, frankly, don't think that's an accurate representation of how candidates will act when they're actually on the school board.
"It frustrates me, how politicized the school board election has become, I think certain individuals are doing it more than others. And I think my vote reflects that, as well."Voter Alexandra Lamperti
"So it seems like it's been kind of crazy, and how everyone has been representing each side, frankly, on both sides. So yeah, it's just very political."
She also said she believes the heated conversations about the school board are, in a way, irrelevant.
"I don't think the school board should be politicized the way it is," Lamperti said. "We should all be prioritizing education of our children.
"And so it frustrates me, how politicized the school board election has become, I think certain individuals are doing it more than others. And I think my vote reflects that, as well."
Asked what kind of school environment she would like to see her kids grow up in, she replied, "I want to make sure that they're, you know, coming into a system that continues to talk about the important things and has a full curriculum across the board and so they're getting a high-quality education.
"I don't think certain issues should be shied away from in the schools, we need to make sure they're learning everything moving forward."
'It just starts to become ingrained'
At the poll at Agricultural Hall at Allentown Fairgrounds, supporters of various candidates gathered outside, and were friendly with each other, though still making a noticeable effort to hand out their flyers quicker than the others as voters walked past them, to the entrance doors.
For one family who came to vote, the day served double duty as a learning opportunity.
Kate Christein pushed a double-seated stroller with her two toddlers in it, and prepared them some crackers after her vote.
"And think about what seems to matter to them, so that when the time comes for them to vote, they can make choices that align with their values."Voter Kate Christein
"I talked to them about what that what we were doing," Christein said. "And I hope that it just starts to become ingrained in them, that they think about the power systems in our society, and the way that our society is organized.
"And think about what seems to matter to them, so that when the time comes for them to vote, they can make choices that align with their values."
As she said this, no matter how profound, the boy in the stroller turned around, looking visibly annoyed, as if he wanted to leave.
Brandon Jones, a poll worker at the Ag Hall polling station, said he enjoys his job a lot.
"Honestly, I think it's a very interesting job," Jones said. "And it's good to network.
"And honestly, you get to see people in your neighborhood. And you can see them grow up, you can see the kids growing up, you can see the families growing up, you can see them.
"And it's almost like a reunion every time you come out. It's like a reunion. We always talk, we get together, talk about what's going on the past six months and what we're going to do in the next six months.
"It's, I don't know, it's great. I like that."
