In Lehigh County, Democrats sweep commissioner, controller and coroner races
Marx in lead for Whitehall mayor; pay hikes approved for Allentown council, controller
In Lehigh County, Democrats seized four county commissioner seats, and controller and coroner seats, according to unofficial Nov. 7 election results.
In the commissioner race —with sizable leads — the winners were Sheila Alvarado, incumbent Dan Hartzell, April Riddick and Jon Irons.
In the controller race, incumbent Mark Pinsley easily defeated Republican Robert Smith Jr., a former Allentown School Board member.
In the coroner race, interim coroner Daniel Buglio bested Republican Dr. Joseph Zitarelli.
The county reported all 161 precincts reporting.
Meanwhile, in Whitehall Democrat Joseph Marx Jr. had a 115-vote lead over Republican Tina Jo Koren as he appeared to win the race to become the township's new mayor.
Lehigh County commissioners - Four at-large seats
Democrats Sheila Alvarado, Dan Hartzell, April Riddick and Jon Irons defeated Republicans Paul Moat, Rita Sisselberger, Gary S Fedorcha and Jacqueline Rivera, who is Robert Smith Jr.’s daughter.
Sheila Alvarado – 36,501
Dan Hartzell – 38,980
April Riddick – 35,569
Jon Irons – 34,022
Paul Moat – 29,680
Rita Sisselberger – 29,220
Gary S. Fedorcha – 30,974
Jacqueline Rivera – 29,751
The election was the first at-large race since 2019 when four Democratic wins ended Republican control of the board for the first time in decades. Hartzell was the only Democrat from the 2019 win to seek reelection.
Lehigh County controller
Incumbent Democrat Mark Pinsley was elected to a second term as the county’s fiscal watchdog. Pinsley has been aggressive in his pursuit of audits, most recently releasing a report on misdiagnosed cases of child medical abuse and its impact on county services. He overcame criticism from Smith that his audits veered outside the scope of his duties and that he is using the position as a stepping stone to higher office.
Mark Pinsley – 39,476
Robert E. Smith Jr. – 33,403
Coroner
Voters went with experience in electing Democrat Daniel Buglio, who has held the interim coroner title since 2022 and has spent nearly 24 years in the office serving in various positions. His opponent, Republican Joseph Zitarelli, a physician at Grandview Wound Center in Sellersville, had said the office needed a medical doctor in charge.
Daniel Buglio – 41,281
Joseph Zitarelli – 31,405
Uncontested county races
In Lehigh County, Republican Gavin Holihan, a well-known criminal defense attorney who was hired as first assistant district attorney in January, was elected district attorney. He replaces Republican Jim Martin who announced his retirement after 25 years in office. Sheriff Joe Hanna, a Republican, won a third term. Democrat Michelle Graupner, a clerk in the judicial records office, was elected clerk of judicial records. She replaces Andrea Naugle, who is retiring.
Whitehall mayor
Democrat Joseph Marx Jr., president of the board of commissioners, polled 2,590 votes to Republican Tina Jo Koren’s 2,475 as of midnight. Also in the running was Democrat Kyle Kern, a former township commissioner who launched a write-in campaign. The county showed 662 write-in votes were cast in the election, but it was undetermined on election night how many of those went to Kern. Marx, a Whitehall business owner, previously served as a member of the township planning commission and the Coplay-Whitehall Sewer Authority.
Allentown ballot questions
In Allentown, city residents responded favorably to two ballot questions to increase salaries for the controller and council members.
They voted:
5,349-5,045 to set the controller’s salary to an amount that is 80% of the mayor’s salary, which is presently $95,000. At that rate, the controller’s new salary would be $76,000. The present controller salary is $49,900.
By a slightly wider margin (5,915-4,491) to raise the council members’ salary to $15,000, with the council president receiving $16,000. Council members presently earn $6,400.
Judicial elections
Voters retained county Judge Brian Johnson, a Republican who is the president judge of the Lehigh Court of Common Pleas, for a third, 10-year term. Nearly 77% of voters voted yes (47,404-14,226).
The only district magistrate election not decided in the primary was District 31-3-02, which covers Alburtis and the townships of Lower Macungie and Upper Macungie.
District Judge Michael J. Faulkner, a Republican and former Allentown police officer who was seeking reelection to a third, six-year term, defeated challenger Julie Tamerler, a Democrat and lawyer. Faulkner led 8,282-7,442.