Lehigh Valley Politics and Election News

Area Democrats held an election watch party at the Da Vinci Science Center in Allentown.

Republican state Rep. Zachary Mako was well on the way to defeating Democrat Joseph Lenzi to win a fifth term representing the 183rd House District.

Flood, a Republican, won a third term Tuesday night representing northern Northampton County in the state House of Representatives.

Several of the Lehigh Valley's state lawmakers are ucontested in the 2024 general election. That means they're shoe-ins for victory.

Northampton County officials said extra voting machines were delivered to help alleviate the crush at the Banana Factory in South Bethlehem. It was an extreme example of a scene playing out on Election Day across the Lehigh Valley as voters waited hours in line to cast their ballots.

Pulling the big red lever in a mechanical voting machine started the voting booth process and closed the curtain behind you. It was as dramatic to my young mind as the vast curtain before a theater's stage.

The Lehigh County Board of Elections will hold a hearing Friday morning to determine the status of 519 mail-in ballot applications of former residents now living abroad. Under federal law, they are entitled to vote in federal elections under their last address, but state Sen. Jarrett Coleman said the county neglected to register them in a voter database.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, greeted voters at one Lehigh Valley polling place on Election Day. Johnson said his visit signified how critically important the Lehigh Valley's 7th Congressional District is to the balance of power in the U.S. House.

On the ground in Pennsylvania on Election Day: The state's political landscape has shifted dramatically since the last election. Student journalists are on the ground throughout the day as people vote.

Check out our rundown of candidates in the most contested races and what to expect to get up to speed for the election on Nov. 5, 2024.

In the wake of countywide issues with voting machines, officials said, one precinct's judge of elections in Bethlehem was removed from his post for refusing to follow the county's directives.

Parker’s moderate message resonated with voters.

Several county and municipal races in the Lehigh Valley were uncontested in the general election. That includes two of the highest-profile jobs in Lehigh and Northampton counties, as well as elected city representatives in Easton and Allentown.

In Northampton County, a problem with recording votes for judicial retention prompted officials to shut down electronic machines Tuesday morning and rely on paper ballots. County Executive Lamont McClure said the vendor and county elections staff should have caught the issue in testing before Election Day.

Some voters in Lehigh County 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.

Voters are casting ballots in several races at the county and local levels in Tuesday's general election. School board seats and statewide judicial posts also are up for grabs. Check out our rundown and last-minute checklist to get up to speed.

Four seats on Northampton County Council are up for grabs in Tuesday's election. The results will decide whether Democrats or Republicans hold a majority on the body next year.

As Democrat Brian Panella and Republican Nancy Aaroe wage a rematch of their primary race for Northampton Co. Court of Common Pleas judge, both candidates say they are the more experienced one.

Five incumbents on the Saucon Valley School Board are running for re-election on the Republican ticket, highlighting their ability to control finances. Four Democratic challengers counter they're picking needless fights with teachers, business partners and the ACLU that are hurting the district.

The chairperson for Responsible Solutions for Pennsylvania also holds a government affairs position with the Bethlehem Landfill's parent company. The super PAC put $26,000 toward campaign materials, according to recent filings.

Both candidates for Northampton County controller currently sit on County Council, and tell voters their time as members mean they're ready to be the county's top fiscal watchdog

WLVR's Megan Frank talks with reporter Sarah Mueller and LehighValleyNews.com executive editor Jim Deegan.