Lehigh Valley Politics and Election News

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.

Mark Pinsley announced Friday, Dec. 1, that he will run for auditor general in 2024. The position oversees financial and performance audits of Pennsylvania state government.

County Executive Lamont McClure reiterated Thursday he will not step down after the county experienced widespread problems with its voting machines on Election Day. Despite the problems, the county's Election Commission certified the results last week.

Republican Kat Copeland is hoping her experience as a federal and local prosecutor will help her become Pennsylvania's next attorney general.

County Executive Lamont McClure on Friday accepted the resignation of Charles Dertinger, his director of administration and a longtime political ally. As director of administration, Dertinger oversaw the county elections division, which came under scrutiny in the wake of widespread voting machine problems in the Nov. 7 election.

The Northampton County Republican Committee's legal team is in discussions with the Pennsylvania Republican Committee's legal team on how to proceed toward decertifying the county's election machines.

By a 4-1 vote, the Northampton County Election Commission certified the Nov. 7 election results, despite widespread problems with its voting machines.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro will address New Hampshire Democrats at their state convention Saturday, marking his first trip to an early primary state. His dominant victory in the 2022 governor's race raised Shapiro's political star in national circles.

Under the new format, prompts on the computer screens in driver’s license centers in Pennsylvania will take the user to a template to register to vote.

LV Print Center in Allentown produces millions of political materials every election cycle, mostly for Democratic candidates. Their work has been used at every local, from local school board candidates to President Joe Biden, according to owners Maggie Wert and Ervin Fetherman.

WLVR's Megan Frank talks with reporters Tom Shortell and Brittany Sweeney.

Republicans have long demonized mail-in voting in Pennsylvania, and experts say it's cost the party elections. Win Again PAC, formed by rivals Dean Browning and Lisa Scheller, is attempting to get irregular GOP voters to embrace the method and swing close races.

There's two new candidates in the Allentown School Board race and one in the Southern Lehigh School board race.

Lehigh County officials determined the proposed legislation had more than a dozen problems, making it too problematic to present to Allentown voters. The bill would have dispatched an EMT and mental health professional to certain calls and prohibited other first responders from going.

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

Conservative voters walked away impressed with Vivek Ramaswamy's performance in Wednesday's Republican presidential debate, but most still pined for former President Donald Trump.

"PBS NewsHour" filmed a segment of “America at a Crossroads" at the PBS39 studios in Bethlehem. Former longtime PBS anchor Judy Woodruff fronts the series.

State law gives Northampton County Republicans a little over a week to find a candidate willing to take on Democrat Stephen Baratta in a high-profile race for district attorney.

Incumbent Northampton County District attorney Terry Houck announced Monday he's no longer seeking reelection, all but assuring a former county judge will hold the office next year.