Lehigh Valley Politics and Election News

Unofficial results show Democrats with decisive leads in both contested races for Northampton County Council late Tuesday, setting up a 6-3 Democratic majority come January.

Democrat Brian Panella declared victory in the race for Northampton County judge late Tuesday, likely securing a 10-year term on the Court of Common Pleas.

School board races were among the most prominent contests Tuesday across the Lehigh Valley.

Zrinski had a more than 6,000 vote lead, according to unofficial election returns, with an unspecified number of provisional ballots remaining to be counted.

Colleen Laird, a lifelong Bethlehem resident and Democrat, brought in 8,336 votes across Lehigh and Northampton counties.

Follow along with LehighValleyNews.com to get the latest in breaking Election Night news for the 2023 Pennsylvania general election.

Check out searchable, unofficial returns for contested school board races in Lehigh and Northampton counties.

Preliminary results show a Democratic sweep in the hotly contested East Penn School Board race, over Republican challengers by over 1,000 votes each in the hotly contested and controversy laden race

These are searchable, unofficial results as reported by the Lehigh County elections office on Tuesday night. Provisional ballots are not included. The vote will remain unofficial until certified in several days.

These are searchable, unofficial results as reported by the Northampton County elections office on Tuesday night. Provisional ballots are not included. The vote will remain unofficial until certified in several days.

Pennsylvania state lawmakers have failed to pass a spending plan for the year ahead — more than two weeks past the deadline. This week's Political Pulse looks at what the holdups are.

All three of the Lehigh Valley's state senators backed a bill that would make cities liable if they don't clear out homeless camps deemed to be public nuisances. However, House consideration of the measure seems unlikely, according to one lawmaker.

Two local state representatives co-sponsored House Bill 17, which passed out of the chamber last month. It was referred to the state Senate's education committee for further review.

State Senators were urged to vote to fully fund public transportation in the state budget during a rally on Thursday in Bethlehem.

Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk won the Democratic Primary in May, while Councilman Ed Zucal claimed victory on the Republican ballot. The contest has yet to kick back into gear.

The bunch, joined by a dozen more people with signs at nearby intersections, lay along the sidewalk for a “die-in” at Third and Wyandotte Park along Route 378 North.

The tax and spending plan drew praise from Republicans for lowering taxes and funding border security, but Democrats condemned it for slashing Medicaid coverage and raising the deficit.

Pennsylvania's 137th District is among the most competitive state House races in the commonwealth. It's based in the swing suburbs of Northampton County.

President Donald Trump campaigned on immigration enforcement and recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations have gained national and local attention. This week on Political Pulse, host Tom Shortell and political scientist Chris Borick look into the public's reaction to these raids.

Larry O’Donnell, a 15-year borough resident, was appointed to fill a council vacancy through the end of the year.

The U.S. Senate could vote on the proposed One Big Beautiful Bill Act this week. If passed, millions of Americans would lose access to Medicaid and SNAP benefits in order to fund border security and tax cuts to wealthy Americans.

The emergence of the gig economy has altered the American workforce and created questions about what benefits and protections independent contractors should have under federal law. U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Lehigh Valley, discussed that during the roundtable.