See who is running in the May 20 primary
Lehigh Valley voters will see primary election battles on May 20 in multiple offices – from judicial and county executive posts to mayoral and school board seats.
Election offices in Lehigh and Northampton counties released their unofficial lists of candidates who filed nomination petitions by Tuesday's deadline.
Only registered Democrats and Republicans can vote for candidates in their respective parties in primary elections in Pennsylvania. Exceptions are made for a constitutional amendment question, a ballot question or a special election.
To see Northampton County’s full list, click here.
To see Lehigh County’s full list, click here.
The final list can change before the primary. That’s because nomination petitions can be challenged in court until March 18, which could result in candidates being knocked off the ballot if their petitions, for example, don’t contain the required number of valid signatures.
Candidates themselves can drop out of their races by March 26. Third party candidates began circulating nomination papers on March 12. They have until Aug. 1 to file them to be on the ballot for the Nov. 4 general election.
This municipal year election could have larger than usual implications for voters. Local elected officials make decisions on everything from garbage collection and street repairs to building new parks, operating the judicial system and providing services to senior citizens. School boards weigh in on curriculum, class size and extra-curriculars.
President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s plan to reduce the size of the federal government could impact the flow of dollars from Washington, D.C., to the Lehigh Valley through the state or directly. That, in turn, could force hard decisions on budgets and taxes.
Here’s a look at some of the contested races.
In the race for a new seat on the Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas, nomination petitions were filed by Republicans Jenna M. Fliszar and Patricia Fuentes Mulqueen and Democrat Mark Stanziola. Judicial candidates can appear on both ballots.
In the county executive race, Republicans Mike Welsh, a former Allentown School Board member, Roger MacLean, Allentown’s former police chief, and Justin Simmons, a former state representative, have filed nomination papers. The only Democrat in the running is Josh Siegel, a state representative in the 22nd House District. Incumbent Democrat Phil Armstrong is prevented by the county Home Rule Charter from seeking a third consecutive term.
In Allentown, incumbent Democrat Matt Tuerk is facing a challenge from city council member Ed Zucal for a second term as mayor. The only Republican to file nomination papers was Solomon Tembo, who has run for mayor in the past.
Allentown Council also has a crowded Democratic primary for four seats with incumbents Cynthia Mota, Daryl Hendricks and Natalie Santos facing challenges from Luis Acevedo, Jeremy Binder, Christian Pungo, Patrick Palmer and Ben Stemrich. Not on the list is Zucal, whose term on council is up this year. No Republicans filed nomination papers.
Lower Macungie Township drew four Democrats for three open seats on the Board of Commissioners. They are Stefanie Rafes, who ran unsuccessfully for state representative in the 187th in November, Melissa Bosak, Matthew Baysinger and Wesley Barrett, a former Emmaus council member. Republicans running are Matthew S. Guglielmello, incumbent Brian L. Shoemaker and board President Brian P. Higgens. Richard V. Ward is not seeking reelection.
Northampton County
Three candidates have filed for a newly created seat in the Northampton County Court of Common Pleas. They are Democrats Jeremy Clark and Robert Eyer, both of whom have crossfiled, and Republican James Fuller, who is running on the GOP ballot.
There will be a Democratic primary battle for Northampton County executive between Tara Zrinski, who is the county’s elected controller, and Amy Cozze, who worked as a staff member for former U.S. Sen. Bob Casey. Tom Giovanni, a county council member, is the only Republican on the ballot. Incumbent Democrat Lamont McLure has decided to run in next year’s 7th Congressional District race.
There will be a Democratic primary battle for Northampton County Council with six Democrats seeking five at-large seats. They are council President Lori Vargo Heffner, Patti Bruno, a longtime campaign manager, Nadeem Qayyum, husband of Easton City Council member Taiba Sultana, Jason Boulette, a Wind Gap Borough Council member, David Holland, a nurse practitioner, and Theresa Fadem, vice president of Hellertown Borough Council member.
Republican candidates include incumbents John Brown and John Goffredo, Juan Martinez, owner of the Don Juan restaurant chain, Sam Elias, a Bethlehem police officer, and Daniel Campo, a commercial air cargo pilot.
In Bethlehem, which traverses Lehigh and Northampton counties, incumbent Democrat J. William Reynolds is facing a challenge from Grace Crampsie Smith, a city council member, as he seeks a second term as mayor. No Republican filed to run for for the post, meaning the race could be settled in the primary.
The four at-large seats on Bethlehem council have drawn six Democratic candidates, including incumbents Hillary G. Kwiatek and Rachel Leon, Justin Amann, Tina Cantelmi, Celeste Dee and Jo Daniels. One Republican, Joseph F. Poplawski, is running. Along with Crampsie Smith, incumbent Kiera Wilhelm is not seeking reelection.
In Easton, city council will see a primary race in District 1 between Democrats Frank Graziano III and incumbent Roger Ruggles; in District 2 between Democrats Lance Wheeler and Julie Zando-Dennis and in District 3 between Democrats Taiba Sultana, the incumbent, and Susan Hartranft-Bittinger, an Easton Areas School District Board member. District 1 incumbent Democrat Jim Edinger is not seeking reelection.
Lower Saucon Township has drawn five Republicans and three Democrats in the race for two open seats. Not on the list are incumbent Republicans Jason Banonis and Thomas Carocci. The two have been at odds with the township council since it flipped to Democratic control in the 2023 election.
Running on the Democratic ticket are Chad G. Heimbecker, Gary W. Gorman and Hunter Gress. Republicans filing nomination papers are Curt Balch, Donna Louder, Kathy Pichel-McGovern, Cheyenne Reiman and Mark Ozimek.
School boards across the Lehigh Valley have drawn multiple candidates.
Among them is the Saucon Valley School District, where all but one incumbent was swept out of office in 2023. Seven candidates have filed petitions for four at-large seats. Crossfiling are J. Barrett Geyer, Kenneth Bloss, board President Cedric Dettmar, Meghan Lomangino, J. Christian Tatu and board Vice President Shamim Pakzad. Lynn Kasper is only on the Republican ballot. Current directors Tracy Magnotta and John A. Conte are not seeking reelection.
Allentown School District has attracted eight candidates for four four-year seats, none of them incumbents. Filing papers on the Democratic side were Evette D'Amore, Denzel Morris, Robert E. Smith Jr., Dianne L. Michels, Michael McDermott, David F. Zimmerman and Cereta Johnson. D’More, Smith, Michaels, Zimmerman crossfiled on the Republican side along with Tom Houck. Incumbents Lisa Conover, Jennifer Lynn Ortiz, LaTarsha Brown and Phoebe Harris are not seeking reelection.
In the East Penn School District, seven people are seeking four seats. Filing on both ballots were incumbents Michael Felegy and William Whitney, Christine Price, Paul Barbehenn, who ran unsuccessfully in 2023, Alicia Du Plooy, Rita Perez and Melissa Stiavelli. Incumbents Alisa Bowman and Adam Smith are not running for reelection.
The Parkland School District has drawn eight candidates for four four-year seats. Crossfiling were Patrick H. Foose, a Republican who lost reelection in 2023; incumbent David J. Hein, David Caruth, Jon Macklin, Alyssa Beckwith, Matthew Weimann and Mike Millo, who unsuccessfully ran in 2023. George Rivera, who unsuccessfully ran in 2023, is only on the Republican ballot.
The Southern Lehigh School District saw four people filing on the Democratic and Republican ballots – Chris Sykora, Luis Melecio, Kimberly Jaramillo and Josh Rager. Four others filed for the Republican ballot – incumbents Christopher P. Wayock and Stephen R. Maund and Paul Deebel and James Pica, both of whom ran unsuccessfully in 2023.