Lehigh Valley Politics and Election News

President Joe Biden will make his second presidential visit to the Allentown area on Friday. The planned trip comes a week after he launched his re-election campaign by calling out former President Donald Trump as a threat to American democracy.

WLVR's Megan Frank talks with reporters Tom Shortell and Brian Myszkowski.

The Democrats have been vocal about leading an about-face on a number of township issues, including the expansion of the Bethlehem Landfill and resident access to the Hellertown Area Library.

Northampton County held a swearing-in ceremony for recently elected council members, others on Tuesday.

Gavin Holihan took the oath of office Tuesday morning as Lehigh County's new district attorney. He said he'll divert resources away from penny-ante issues to focus on battling violent crime.

The 20-year-old is a youth director with Promise Neighborhoods of Lehigh Valley. She graduated from William Allen High School in 2021 and won election to the school board in the November general election.

The Pennsylvania Department of State is starting a new office to help train county election workers, Pa. Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt said. It also plans to update its guidance for logic and accuracy testing that could have caught issues with the Northampton County voting machines.

In a letter to Gov. Josh Shapiro, state Rep. Milou Mackenzie asked the Department of State to provide Northampton County with instructions on how to avoid more Election Day mistakes with their voting machines.

Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure on Friday named a human resources department manager as his acting director of administration. She joined the county in May 2022.

Take a look at stories that ran throughout the week of which we are most proud, had a profound impact on readers or that you might want to look at again.

The Jewish League for Peace-Lehigh Valley will hold a Havdalah ceremony at the Bethlehem Rose Garden on Saturday, grieving for those lost in Gaza and calling for change to prevent further death and destruction.

The Allentown high school was recognized for registering students to vote and enlisting them to serve as poll workers.

Fewer people voted in this year's primaries than four years ago, when most of the same local offices were up for grabs. But Mayor Matt Tuerk found much support in his second campaign.

Political Pulse host Tom Shortell and political scientist Chris Borick follow up on the last episode about the primary election. This week, the two dive into a primary breakdown of the top races and low voter turnout.

Ryan Mackenzie, the Lehigh Valley's freshman congressman, cast an essential vote to move President Donald Trump's signature bill through the U.S. House last week. His would-be Democratic opponents say he's sold out poor families to give billionaires a tax break.

Councilman Ed Zucal earned almost 500 write-in votes from Allentown Republicans, plenty to win the party’s nomination for mayor.

Ed Zucal had almost 500 Republican write-in votes as of Thursday afternoon, several hundred more than Mayor Matt Tuerk.

Allentown mayoral candidate Ed Zucal is confident he secured enough write-in votes to advance on the Republican ticket, but Lehigh County has yet to release the number of write-in votes at play. Incumbent Mayor Matt Tuerk dominated the Democratic primary with 80% of the vote.

Cristian Pungo, the candidate Daryl Hendricks trails by just 25 votes, was hesitant to claim victory Wednesday.

Roger MacLean, a former Allentown police chief, will take on state Rep. Josh Siegel in the November election for Lehigh County executive.

Included here are complete but unofficial results of contested races in Northampton County for the 2025 primary election.

Included here are complete but unofficial results of contested races in Lehigh County for the 2025 primary election.