Lehigh Valley Politics and Election News

Some voters at the polls said this year's election feels different than past years.

Sandy Simon ran and won her position as a poll worker in 1996. She has reported twice a year to prepare for the primary election every spring and the general every first Tuesday after the first Monday every November.

A group of young changemakers are working hard to draw more Gen Zers into local politics, and to the polls. But in serving the interests of their country in the political field, they’re doing it behind the scenes instead of in a public-facing role.

With Election Day nearly upon us, our reporters fanned out across the region to find out where folks stood on issues that have defined American politics. This is what they heard.

Lehigh Valley voters will help decide some of the nation's most closely-watched contests — Fetterman vs. Oz and Wild vs. Scheller. Here's a look up and down the ballots.

Oz took over a Bethlehem Township warehouse to rally voters along with Congressional candidate Lisa Scheller, with 48 hours to go in the race.

Abortion is a key reason many people will be casting a ballot in the midterm election. People in Bethlehem talk about why they feel so strongly about the issue.

The third-ranking Democrat in the House of Representatives spoke during Sunday's service at Greater Shiloh Church. He urged voters to keep Democrats in control of Pennsylvania's 7th District, and the House.

Democrat Mark Pinsley and Republican Jarrett Coleman traded verbal jabs during Thursday's half-hour debate hosted by Business Matters.

Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley addressed about 150 donors at a Lisa Scheller political fundraiser Wednesday night. Scheller, a Republican, is attempting to oust Democratic incumbent Susan Wild from PA's 7th Congressional District.

Drop boxes for mail-in ballots for the upcoming primary election will be in place at seven locations in Northampton County starting Monday, according to the county elections office.

House Republicans are already rallying around U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Lehigh Valley, as he looks to defend Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District. The seat is one of the most competitive — and expensive — congressional races in the country.

Cancer caused 66% of the career firefighter line-of-duty deaths from 2002 to 2019, according to the International Association of Fire Fighters. In his 2025-26 budget proposal, Gov. Josh Shapiro hopes to pay for firefighters' annual cancer screenings at the state level.

The two-term councilman made that pledge during Thursday night’s Allentown mayoral primary debate with incumbent Matt Tuerk at Miller Symphony Hall.

Mayor Matt Tuerk and Councilman Ed Zucal went head to head in the Democratic primary election for Allentown mayor. The debate streamed Thursday on LehighValleyNews.com and will air on PBS39 on Friday night.

Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure delivered his final State of the County address in Bethlehem on Monday. He used the speech to recap his administration's proudest accomplishments and criticize recent actions by the federal government.

Why do sports get so much attention from politicians? And do athletes have the right to express their opinions on social and political issues and even endorse political movements? This week's Political Pulse examines those questions and more.

U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, who joined Congress in January, has been a vocal advocate for President Donald Trump while quietly testing the limits of his support in the battleground district of PA-7.

At a debate in Allentown on Thursday, candidates seeking the Republican nomination for Lehigh County Executive gave virtually the same answers to every question.

U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Lehigh Valley, defended the Trump administration's tariff policy and DOGE cuts during the 90-minute CNN "Town Hall: America Asks Congress" on Thursday night.

More eyes are on local and international races, especially with billionaire Elon Musk becoming more politically active. Why should anyone care about smaller elections? This week on Political Pulse, Tom Shortell and Chris Borick dive into those details.

Multiple sources tell LehighValleyNews.com that Carol Obando-Derstine is expected to launch a campaign for Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District. The battleground seat is held by freshman U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Lehigh Valley.