Lehigh Valley Politics and Election News

Campaign volunteers outnumbered voters across the Lehigh Valley early Tuesday as Pennsylvania’s primary election got underway.

Since it's not a presidential or midterm election, the 2023 municipal primary election may have snuck up on folks. If that surprises you, here are some other things you may not know about how our local elections are run.

Gavin Holihan, the uncontested candidate for Lehigh County district attorney, has been endorsed by incumbent Republican Jim Martin and Democratic County Executive Phil Armstrong, among others.

Three candidates for the local office said they focused on juggling campaign tasks around full-time jobs in the lead-up to the primary election. All were driven by a desire to educate voters and help people understand county government and its services.

Local elections rarely get the same level of participation as presidential races, but the outcomes often have greater impacts on voters' quality of life.

Two Democrats are running in the primary to become Northampton County's top fiscal watchdog: One a County Commissioner, the other a self-styled outsider businessman.

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.

Donald Trump's latest bid for the presidency could face challengers, challenges, area officials say. Even local Republican party officials have some doubts.

Without any contested races, Northampton County quietly passed its risk-limiting voting machine audit Monday afternoon.

Shapiro, the state's two-term attorney general, scored a massive 14 percentage point win over Republican rival Doug Mastriano in last week’s midterm election, smashed state campaign finance records and became the first candidate since 1966 to succeed a governor of the same party in Pennsylvania.

Muhlenberg College senior Alex Wagner praised Lehigh Valley political candidates who were present and engaged with college students well before the midterms approached. He said it helped push young voters to the polls, and made a difference in several key races.

"Difficult to accept as the results are, there is no right course but to concede, which I do, and I look to the challenges ahead," Doug Mastriano wrote in his concession to Josh Shapiro in the Pennsylvania governor's race.

Congresswoman Susan Wild expected Democrats to defy historical norms and compete for control of the U.S. House this midterm.

Northampton County's results neatly reflected election returns for governor, U.S. Senate and Congress.

Pennsylvania Democrats believe they will win enough state House seats following Tuesday’s midterm election to secure a majority when the legislature’s new session begins in January.

Republican Jarrett Coleman will replace longtime incumbent Pat Browne as Pennsylvania's 16th District state senator.

Lehigh County's chief clerk of elections said the vote tally went quickly and smoothly for the county's 158 precincts.

Shapiro, 49, of Montgomery County, is a two-term attorney general. He defeated Republican state Sen. Doug Mastriano.

Incumbent Democrat Susan Wild pulled out a narrow victory over Republican challenger Lisa Scheller for the Lehigh Valley's seat in Congress.