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.

Concerns also were raised about election officials nationwide leaving jobs amid threats.

U.S. Rep Scott Perry (R-Cumberland/Dauphin/York), who is under Congressional scrutiny for his role in a plot to subvert 2020 election results in some states, is set to lead the House Freedom Caucus starting in January.

Lamont McClure's lead in the 2021 election is being questioned by his challenger, Steve Lynch.

The House State Government Committee moved a bill forward along party lines Monday that would limit how county election departments can be funded.

The Democrat becomes the youngest ever elected to Allentown council.

After an apparently failed bid to unseat Democratic County Executive Lamont McClure, in Northampton County, Republican candidate Steve Lynch took to Facebook to call for an investigation into the election and promise his campaign isn’t over.

J. William Reynolds' victory means his spot on Bethlehem City Council will have to be filled.

A back-and-forth battle on Election Night ends with Armstrong saying he's captured a 2nd term.

A major Lehigh Valley race is still too close to call. As of 2:30 a.m. Wednesday, the Republican challenger for the Lehigh County executive, Glenn Eckhart, barely trailed behind incumbent Phil Armstrong, a Democrat.

The Democrat defeated controversial Republican challenger Steve Lynch with 56 percent of the vote.

Democrat J. William Reynolds will be the next mayor of Bethlehem according to unofficial results from Tuesday’s election. He appears to have defeated Republican John Kachmar 63 to 36 percent.

At the Lehigh County Government Center, the hub for election results in Lehigh County, there wasn’t as much foot traffic inside the actual polling room on the main floor.