Lehigh Valley Politics and Election News

The Lehigh County Board of Elections voted 3-0 to certify 191,158 ballots Wednesday afternoon. Fights over how to count contested provisional ballots are already popping up in the neck-and-neck U.S. Senate race between Bob Casey and David McCormick.

Northampton County's elections commission voted in a multi-day hearing to count provisional ballots missing certain signatures. Their decision has been challenged in county court.

Allentown City Councilman Ed Zucal officially kicked off his campaign for mayor Tuesday at Fairgrounds Hotel.

This week on Political Pulse, Tom Shortell and Chris Borick talk about political campaign budgets and funding, comparing this year's election cycle to those past.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court order Monday is a win for David McCormick and a loss for U.S. Sen. Bob Casey as the campaigns prepare for a statewide recount and press counties for favorable ballot-counting decisions.

Allentown City Council President Cynthia Mota will face Councilman Ed Zucal and Mayor Matt Tuerk in the 2025 Democratic primary.

U.S. Rep.-elect Ryan Mackenzie said he expects the incoming Congress and Trump administration to attempt to pull back funding for some projects approved by the Biden administration. "We do want to make sure that the priorities and that the things we want to be achieving, not only as a country but in our local community, are met," he said in an interview with LehighValleyNews.com.

Mayor Matt Tuerk is seeking a second term but faces challenges from City Council President Cynthia Mota and member Ed Zucal.

Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt ordered the recount in the race between U.S. Sen. Bob Casey and David McCormick, based on results that remain unofficial from the Nov. 5 general election.

Northampton County officials will sort through nearly 4,000 provisional ballots. A significant portion of them came from the polling places serving Lehigh University and Lafayette College.

The Trump administration directive, rescinded Wednesday, could have put tens of millions of dollars at risk across the Lehigh Valley, speakers said Friday outside the Lehigh County Government Center.

Democrat Geoff Brace, who represents the county’s 4th District, announced his plans to seek another term.

Join Megan Frank at 9:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. every Friday for Insights with LehighValleyNews.com on WLVR. This week Megan talks to environment and science reporter Molly Bilinski and Northampton County reporter Ryan Gaylor.

In a speech in Bethlehem on Thursday, Northampton County Controller Tara Zrinski formally announced her run for county executive. The county's incumbent executive endorsed her for the post, and will help fund her campaign.

Crampsie Smith said she will focus on fiscal management, smart growth, neighborhoods, infrastructure.

James Fuller, a resident of Allen Township, announced this week he will run to join the Northampton County bench.

David Holland, a psychiatric nurse practitioner and nursing professor at East Stroudsburg University, will run for Northampton County Council as a Democrat, he announced Wednesday.

The long-time Upper Saucon Township resident is a former supervisor and currently serves in several township roles.

A Trump administration order cutting off some federal grant funding left providers of key social services racing to figure out if they would still receive critical funding.

This week on Political Pulse, Tom and Chris discuss the impact natural disasters have on politics. In recent years, that impact has shifted.

Democrat Amy Cozze, who oversaw Northampton County's elections in 2020 and 2021, will run for county executive this year, she announced Monday.

Democrat Theresa Fadem, Vice President of the Hellertown Borough Council, announced this weekend that she will join the race for one of Northampton County Council's five at-large seats.