Lehigh Valley Politics and Election News

On this week's episode of Political Pulse, Tom Shortell and Chris Borick talk about local traffic development and how residents feel about traffic issues.

Mike Welsh will run as a Republican to oversee day-to-day operations of Lehigh County government.

Justin Simmons, who served a decade in the Pennsylvania House, is the first Republican to announce a bid for the county’s top job.

Ron W. Beitler is seeking reelection to the Lehigh County Board of Commissioners, he announced in a news release Tuesday.

Gov. Josh Shapiro is scheduled to deliver his budget proposal for 2025-26 to a joint session of the Pennsylvania General Assembly. He is expected to seek more money for public schools and public transit.

A lifelong Bethlehem resident announced her run for City Council Monday. With strong city ties and a commitment to inclusiveness, she said, she aims to build on Bethlehem’s growth and address key local issues.

Rachel Leon, a member of Bethlehem City Council, will run for another term in office, she said Thursday.

The Trump administration directive, rescinded Wednesday, could have put tens of millions of dollars at risk across the Lehigh Valley, speakers said Friday outside the Lehigh County Government Center.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

Data released by the Pennsylvania State Department Wednesday shows Democrats made up more than 72% of mail-in ballot requests this November. Despite efforts by the RNC and local Republicans to promote mail-in voting, that's actually worse than the divide in 2022.

The financially flush campaigns are a stark contrast from traditional school board races, where candidates rarely spent more than $250 while campaigning for the unpaid offices.

Three seats are up for grabs in November — and three Republicans are looking to change up the dialogue of what they say is currently a "rubber stamping" city council.