Lehigh Valley Politics and Election News

On this week's episode of Political Pulse, host Tom Shortell and political scientist Chris Borick dissect the Democratic sweep in elections across the country and the Lehigh Valley last week.

The House passed a bill Wednesday night to end the nation's longest government shutdown, sending the measure to President Donald Trump for his signature after a historic 43-day funding lapse that saw federal workers go without multiple paychecks, travelers stranded at airports and people lining up at food banks to get a meal for their families.

Billions of dollars for Pennsylvania’s public schools and social services will soon start flowing after months of delay, as lawmakers on Wednesday approved a $50 billion spending plan to break the state’s budget impasse.

The historic 40-day federal shutdown could be coming to an end after eight members of the Democratic caucus broke ranks on a procedural vote Sunday.

Gov. Josh Shapiro says Pennsylvania's utility companies have stepped up to shelter low-income households this winter. The customers are usually covered by LIHEAP, but the federal assistance program has experienced delays due to the federal government shutdown.

“If my vote is the deciding vote … let me save you the suspense: No va pa sa. It’s not happening,” Councilwoman Cynthia Mota said during her Election Night speech last week.

State Sen. Jarrett Coleman, R-Lehigh/Bucks, introduced the bill in 2023 after a student brought a knife to Schnecksville Elementary School. Parents didn't learn of the incident until a week later.

Three Democrats will join the Lower Macungie Township Board of Commissioners in January. The trio appear to have become the first Democrats to be elected to the township governing body in more than a half century.

The winners, based on unofficial results, are Democratic candidates: Kimberly Jaramillo, Luis Melecio, Josh Rager and Chris Sykora — who ran together on a slate.

The councilman fell to defeat Tuesday in his bid for mayor, and his second term on the body ends soon.

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.

Missed any of our election coverage? Here is a convenient way to scan the stories on local and statewide races that affect you today. From the gubernatorial race to the U.S. Senate race to the race for Pa.-7 and more, take a look so you don't miss anything.

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.

The Pa. Supreme Court has ruled that mail-in ballots that are missing a date or have a date written incorrectly will need to be set aside by county election boards.

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.

Senate candidate Mehmet Oz will hold a get-out-the-vote rally with House candidate Lisa Scheller in Bethlehem Township on Sunday.

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.

Democratic challenger Anna Thomas faces off against Republican incumbent Joe Emrick for the Pa. House District 137th race.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Josh Shapiro spoke to about a hundred supporters at the Teamsters 773 building in Whitehall Township.

When lawmakers redrew the map for Pennsylvania's 18th Senate District last year, they made it more competitive. As a result, incumbent Lisa Boscola has drawn a challenger for the first time in 12 years.