Lehigh Valley Politics and Election News

Democrats Christine Donohue, Kevin Dougherty, and David Wecht are each seeking a second 10-year term on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. While retention questions normally receive little attention, the potential to flip control of the high court has drawn massive political spending in the off-year election.

Republican Sharbel Koorie and Democrat Julie Zando-Dennis are set to face off for Easton's District 2 West Ward seat on City Council on Election Day.

U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Lehigh Valley, has organized a food drive while pinning the ongoing government shutdown on Senate Democrats. SNAP benefits that help feed millions of low-income Americans are hours away from expiring.

Two federal judge have ruled that the Trump administration must continue to fund the SNAP food aid program using contingency funds during the government shutdown. The administration has said it can't fund SNAP with the government shuttered.

Ahead of Election Day, Political Pulse host Tom Shortell and political scientist Chris Borick break down what to expect, including the races to keep an eye on.

State Rep. Josh Siegel has raised more than $447,000 toward his Lehigh County executive campaign since March — just short of the record Don Cunningham set in 2005. Siegel, a Democrat, has outspent Republican Roger MacLean by a nearly 10-to-1 margin this election cycle.

Democratic incumbent Zach Cole-Borghi has been charged as part of a criminal investigation into an interstate drug ring, upending the race between him and Republican Jacqueline Rivera.

State Sen. Jarrett Coleman, R-Bucks/Lehigh, was the prime sponsor of the legislation now awaiting Gov. Josh Shapiro's signature. The bill received overwhelming bipartisan support in the state House and Senate.

Lehigh County Chief Clerk of Elections Tim Benyo said off-year elections are "a little more complicated for county officials," as opposed to a presidential election. This week on Political Pulse, Benyo tells host Tom Shortell about what goes into municipal elections behind the scenes.

During Northampton County's first budget hearing of 2025, held Wednesday, county officials said they do not plan to provide the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission with all of the funding it requested.

The giant inflatable IUD, named Freeda Womb, is part of a nationwide tour with Americans for Contraception aiming to rally voters around access to birth control.

Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff played off an enthusiastic crowd at Dieruff High School to promote his wife Kamala Harris' presidential campaign.

State Rep. Ryan Mackenzie and U.S. Rep. Susan Wild tangled over Medicare, foreign affairs and Social Security during an hourlong debate Friday at WFMZ's Salisbury Township studio.

Dozens of individuals from a variety of organizing groups assembled in Allentown Thursday to rally for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, motivating the crowd to join in the fight.

Debra Biro, Melanie Heilman, Steve Lynch and Richard Morea face charges of harassment following a raucous Northampton County Republican Committee meeting involving pornographic images.

The visit will be Doug Emhoff's second to Allentown as second gentleman. He visited the region in May 2021 to promote the Biden administration's infrastructure plan.

This week on Political Pulse, Chris and Tom move away from talk of the presidential race and shift gears to focus on statehouse races.

Pennsylvania's 137th House District, based around Bethlehem Township and the Nazareth area, is one of the biggest toss-up legislative districts in the state. Democratic challenger Anna Thomas is embroiled in a rematch with Republican incumbent state Rep. Joe Emrick.

Following a Commonwealth Court ruling Friday, Pennsylvania counties cannot throw out mail-in votes over incorrect envelope dates.

The Northampton County Elections Office said it has gotten several reports of county voters receiving text messages from "AllVote.com." It's at least the second text-based scam in the Lehigh Valley that county officials are aware of.

State and local lawmakers on Thursday talked up a $25 million program to install solar power at Pennsylvania schools. That program could be implemented at Allentown public schools.

Elected officials are taking steps to adjust development laws that some see as unfair, but they face an uphill battle. (Fourth of 5 parts)