Lehigh Valley Politics and Election News

Registered voters have until 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 13, to request a mail-in ballot for the May 20 primary election. In Lehigh and Northampton counties, the primary will be limited exclusively to registered Democrats and Republicans.

State Sen. Lisa Boscola and and state Sen. Nick Miller, both Democrats, voted in favor of legislation that would prevent transgender athletes from competing in girls' sports. State Sen. Jarrett Coleman, R-Lehigh/Bucks, also supported it.

Mike Welsh and Roger MacLean are seeking the Republican nomination for Lehigh County executive in the May 20 primary election. They debated Wednesday at the Univest Public Media Center in Bethlehem.

Lehigh County Pension Board voted 4-2 to instruct its investment manager to immediately cease all new investments in Tesla. One county commissioner said Controller Mark Pinsley politicized the issue in an effort to grab headlines.

Ro Khanna's town hall is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. May 17 in the Americus Hotel in downtown Allentown.

Political Pulse host Tom Shortell and political scientist Chris Borick dive into the complex relationship between American health care and politics, with specific regard to Pennsylvania and its role as a "purple" state in elections. Insights from a recent Muhlenberg College survey help depict Pennsylvanians' attitudes on the matter.

Latino leaders spoke about a proposed budget bill that would cut funding for Medicaid and SNAP programs while urging residents to vote in the upcoming May election. The leaders from UnidosUS and the Lehigh Valley also touched on immigration fears.

Pennsylvania voters must be registered and affiliated with a major party by close-of-business Monday to participate in the May 20 municipal primaries.

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont rallied about 6,000 people at Stabler Arena in Bethlehem to oppose President Donald Trump's efforts to slash federal services and demand the Democratic Party renew its focus on the working class.

Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk urged protesters to “make sure everyone hears you in Allentown” before they started walking toward the office U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie shares with Sen. David McCormick on Hamilton Street.

The two slates of candidates in the 11-person East Penn School Board race continue to spar over alleged connections to political players in and outside of the district as funding sources come to light. Election Day is Tuesday.

Two Democratic candidates for Northampton County district attorney have spent much of the last few months at each others' throats. In 2 days, voters will decide who they believe.

As the campaign for the Easton mayoral primary comes to a close, candidates Sal Panto Jr. and Peter Melan discuss how they spent their funds in the race to City Hall.

Debates in the South Whitehall commissioners race have taken place on the candidate's Facebook pages. The posts have primarily debated candidate Ben Long's positions and campaign style.

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

Seven people are hoping to fill the vacant seats, each with a vision for what they want the future of Whitehall to look like.

Amid accusations of sexual harassment, the former mayor is out — and four candidates are in the running.

Many of the nine candidates seeking one of five seats on the board said the race has been insulated from clashes over social issues.

Easton City Council approved a measure to increase the salary for the police department's unfilled community advocate position and establish a new internship at City Hall.

Candidates have formed two groups: one made up of mostly incumbents, and the other made up of Republican challengers. Transparency, spending and projected overcrowding in the district's middle and high schools have become key issues in the race.

Easton's City Council primary will feature seven candidates competing for three open seats. Priorities for the contenders include affordable housing and neighborhood development.

Democrats in Lehigh and Northampton counties requested three times more mail-in ballots than their Republican neighbors for next week's primary election.