Pennsylvania’s primary election is Tuesday, May 16.
On the ballot in the Lehigh Valley are contested races in towns, school districts, county offices and courts. Only registered Democrats or Republicans can vote in the closed primary.
Unsure who to vote for? Need a refresher on candidate platforms? Here’s a quick guide to highlighted races with links to profiles by lehighvalleylive.com and Armchair Lehigh Valley.
You can find more information on state-level judge races, including the contest for Pennsylvania Supreme Court, from our colleagues at SpotlightPA.
And if you don’t see a particular race listed here, check out more coverage at lehighvalleylive.com/elections, at Armchair Lehigh Valley, or consult SpotlightPA’s guide to vetting candidates on your own.
Lehigh County commissioners
Seven Democrats are vying for four at-large seats. Dan Hartzell is the only incumbent seeking reelection. The other candidates are Sheila Alvarado, Michael Blichar Jr., Jon Irons, Victor VJ Martinez, April Riddick and Joe Setton. A full slate of four Republicans is uncontested in the primary but will await the winners in the general election.
• MORE: Candidate profiles
Northampton County district attorney
Incumbent Terry Houck, seeking a second four-year term, faces a challenge from former Northampton County Judge Stephen Baratta.
• MORE: Candidate profiles | Attacks waged in candidate forum
Northampton County judge
Nancy Aaroe and Brian Panella each seek a 10-year term as judge of the Court of Common Pleas. Aaroe, of Bethlehem Township, has a private law practice in Palmer Township. Panella, of Forks Township, is the Bethlehem City Council solicitor and deputy solicitor for the Agency of Children and Youth.
They will appear on both Democratic and Republican tickets because judicial races are considered nonpartisan.
• MORE: Candidate profiles
Other contested races in Lehigh County:
- Magisterial District Judge, District 8: Vote for 1 | Kyle B. Miller, Christopher Rapp, Keith Morris (nonpartisan)
- Magisterial District Judge, District 2: Vote for 1 | Michael J. Faulkner, Julie Tamerler (nonpartisan)
Other contested races in Northampton County:
- Controller: Vote for 1 | Democrats: Nadeem Qayyum, Tara Zrinski
Bethlehem city council
A crowded city council race pits five Democrats for three at-large seats. Candidates are current Council President Michael G. Colón, former councilman Bryan Callahan, and newcomers Ricky Butler, Celeste Dee and Colleen Laird. The winners will face three Republicans in the general election.
• MORE: Candidate profiles
Easton mayor
On the Democratic ticket, longtime Mayor Sal Panto is seeking a 7th term while Councilman Peter Melan says its time for a new perspective. There are no Republicans running.
• MORE: Candidate profiles | Panto says 7th term would be his last
Easton city council
Seven Democrats are competing for three at-large seats, and only two are incumbents. Seeking a return to office are councilmembers Ken Brown and David O’Connell, with challenges by Kurt Carlson, Ken Greene, Frank Pintabone, Crystal Rose and Lance Wheeler.
• MORE: Candidate profiles
Lower Saucon Township council
The Republican ticket has four candidates for three seats. Incumbents Sandra Yerger and Mark Inglis are vying for the nomination with challenges from newcomers Kathy Pichel-McGovern and Susan Blair. The three winners will face a trio of Democrats in the general election.
• MORE: Candidate profiles
Other contested municipal races:
- Allentown City Council: Vote for 3 | Democrats: Luis E. Acevedo, Tino Babayan, Rodney Bushe, Sarina Torres, Santo Napoli, CeCe Gerlach, Candida Affa.
- Alburtis Borough Council: Vote for 4 | Republicans: John J. Aleszczyk, Chad D. Atkins, Ron Delaco, Ashlynn Rivera, Mehmet K. Birtek.
- Allen Township: Vote for 1 | Democrats: Paul J. Link, Gary Behler.
- Bethlehem Township: Commissioner at large (vote for 1) — Democrat: Luke Verdes, Michael Hudak; Republicans: Paul D. Weiss, Steven Greco | Commissioner, 1st Ward (vote for 1) — Republicans: Wayne Buller, Rodman J. Law, Arthur J. Murphy.
- Catasauqua Borough Council: Vote for 4 | Republicans: Tammi A. Hauser, Eugene H. Schlegel, Virginia G. Schlegel, Abby L. Tomasic, Kimberly Brubaker, Robert S. Zakos Jr.
- Hanover Township, Northampton County: Supervisor, 6-year term (vote for 2) — Democrat: Jean E. Versteeg, Susan A. Lawless, Stephen Gross; Republicans: John “Jack” Nagle, Jay Finnigan, Barry Check | Supervisor, 2-year term (vote for 1) — Democrat: Jean E. Versteeg, Stephen Gross; Republicans: Jay Finnigan, Barry Check.
- Heidelberg Township supervisor: Vote for 1 | Republicans: Jay D. Scheffler, Steve Bachman.
- Hellertown: Council, 4-year term (vote for 3) — Democrats: Michael T. McKenna, Lynley Solt, Larry Sutton, Liz Thompson | Council, 2-year-term (vote for 1) — Democrats: Michael T. McKenna, Lynley Solt, Larry Sutton, Liz Thompson.
- Lehigh Township: Supervisor, 6-year term (vote for 2) — Republicans: Michael Jones, Richard C. Rehrig, Phillip Gogel, Cindy Miller | Supervisor, 2-year term (vote for 1) — Republicans: Patrick VanderPloeg, Janet Sheats.
- Lower Macungie Township commissioners: Vote for 2 | Republicans: Maury G. Robert, Ron R. Beitler, Gregory S. Chaputa.
- Lower Milford Township supervisor: Vote for 1 | Republican: Donna Wright, Timothy Cougle.
- Lower Nazareth Township: Vote for 2 | Democrats: Elizabeth Williamson, Nancy Teague, Robert Hoyer.
- Lynn Township supervisor: Vote for 1 | Republican: Fritz Najarian, Ronald Jerdon.
- Northampton Borough: Vote for 1 | Republicans: Anthony S. Lopsonzski Sr., Jason Donahue.
- Palmer Township: Vote for 1 | Democrats: Baron Vanderburg, Charles Bellis | Republicans: Phil Taverna, Kristopher Grube, Colin M. Burke, Andrew Rossi, Charles Diefenderfer.
- Plainfield Township: Supervisor, 6-year term (vote for 2) — Republicans: Jane Mellert, David B. Johnson Sr., Ken Field, Kenneth Fairchild, Nolan Kemmerer | Supervisor, 2-year term (vote for 1) — Republicans: Jane Mellert, Ken Field, David B. Johnson Sr.
- South Whitehall Township commissioners: Vote for 3 | Republicans: Jacob Roth, Diane Kelly, Chris Peischl, Benjamin Barry Long.
- Upper Macungie Township supervisor: Vote for 1 | Republicans: Doug Gernerd, Greg Wheeler.
- Upper Nazareth Township: Vote for 2 | Republicans: Bill Whyte, Scott Sylvainus, Charlene G. Petrozelli.
- Washington Township, Lehigh County, supervisor: Vote for 1 | Republicans: Thomas F. Dengler, Tim O’Brian.
- Whitehall Township mayor: Vote for 1 | Democrats: Joseph J. Marx Jr., Michael Cocca | Republicans: Tina Jo Koren, John C. Hersh.
- Whitehall Township commissioner: Vote for 4 | Democrats: Jeffrey J. Warren, Ken Snyder, Randy Atiyeh, Victor Nassar, Michael Dee.
Easton Area school board
Easton’s contested race for school board has incumbent Edward Keegan, a retired schools superintendent, defending his seat against Michael Simonetta, the district’s former CFO.
The race is for Region III covering Forks Township and parts of Easton and Lower Mount Bethel Township. The candidates have cross-filed, meaning they will appear on both Democrat and Republican primary ballots.
• MORE: Candidate profiles
Saucon Valley school board
Ten candidates and five seats pit a bipartisan incumbents against a slate of Democrats and one Republican challenger. The incumbents are Republicans Susan Baxter, Shawn Welch and Bryan Eichfeld, and Democrats Michael Karabin and Laurel Erickson-Parsons. Running as the Saucon School Board Choices for Change are Bill Broun, Donald L. Carpenter III, Vivian Demko and Jay Santos. Republican J. Barrett Geyer is running on his own.
All but Geyer have cross-filed, meaning they will appear on both Democrat and Republican primary ballots.
• MORE: Candidate profiles
Other contested school board races:
- Bangor Area School District: Vote for 5 | Tanya Peifly (cross-filed), Colleen Schiavone (cross-filed), Michael Goffredo (cross-filed), Zachary Miller (cross-filed), Toni E. Lynch (Democrat), Courtney Gilmour (cross-filed), Annamarie T. Robertone (cross-filed), Christopher Marozzi (cross-filed), Melissa Smith (Republican).
- Bethlehem Area School District: At-large school director (vote for 3) — Democrats: Emily Root Schenkel, Karen Beck Pooley, M. Rayah Levy, Cindy A. O’Brien | Region III school director (vote for 1) — Cindy A. O’Brien (cross-filed), Kim Shively (cross-filed), Anthony M. Gentile (Republican).
- East Penn School District: Vote for 5 | Paul Barbehenn (cross-filed), Kristofer DePaolo (cross-filed), Shonta Ford (cross-filed), Lawrence Huyssen (cross-filed), Jeffrey Jankowski (cross-filed), Timothy Kelly (cross-filed), Gabrielle Klotz (cross-filed), Joshua Levinson (cross-filed), Matt Mull (cross-filed), Angelic Schneider (cross-filed), Brian Wessner (Democrat).
- Nazareth Area School District: Region I school director (vote for 2) — Republicans: Jeff C. Greener, Sariann L. Knerr, Erin Ferguson, Elmo L. Frey Jr., Melinda G. Gladstone | Region II school director (vote for 1) — Christopher G. Miller (cross-filed), Jason M. Swails (cross-filed) | Region III school director (vote for 1) — Republicans: Gregory C. Leh, Thomas McElroy.
- Northampton Area School District: Region I school director (vote for 2) — John Becker, Robert Mentzell, Marc Kercsmar, Kristin Lorah-Soldridge (all cross-filed) | Region II school director (vote for 1) — Republicans: Michael Baird, William G. Jones Jr. | Region III school director (vote for 2) — Brian McCulloch, David Gogel, Joshua Harris, Anthony Maniscalco (all cross-filed).
- Northern Lehigh School District: Vote for 5 | Rhonda Frantz (cross-filed), Matthias “Matt” Green (cross-filed), Gale N. Husack (cross-filed), Robert Kern (Republican), Donna Kulp (Republican), Natalie S. Snyder (Republican), Angela Williams (cross-filed), Glenn A. Williams (cross-filed).
- Parkland School District: 4-year term (vote for 5) — Michael Deering (Republican), Joanne Dillman (Democrat), Carol L. Facchiano (cross-filed), Beth Finch (cross-filed), Patrick Foose (cross-filed), Natalie Janotka (cross-filed), Bobby Lanyon (cross-filed), Mike Millo (cross-filed), Christopher Pirrotta (cross-filed), George Rivera (cross-filed), Jay Rohatgi (cross-filed), Lisa A. Roth (cross-filed), Laura Warmkessel (cross-filed), Marisa Ziegler (cross-filed) | 2-year term (vote for 1) — Carol L. Facchiano (cross-filed), Mike Millo (cross-filed), Christopher Pirrotta (cross-filed), Jay Rohatgi (cross-filed), Lisa A. Roth (cross-filed).
- Pen Argyl Area School District: Region I school director (vote for 1) — Lisa Hackman (cross-filed), Thomas Knorr (cross-filed), James A. Frey (Republican) | Region II school director (vote for 2) — Nancy O’Keefe (Democrat), Joseph Colosi (Democrat), Jeff Moyer (cross-filed), Robert C. Rutt (cross-filed).
- Southern Lehigh School District: Vote for 5 | Eric Boyer (cross-filed), Paul Deebel (cross-filed), Douglas A. Durham (Republican), Emily Gehman (cross-filed), Timothy Kearney (cross-filed), Candi Kruse (cross-filed), James Pica (cross-filed), Danelle Roy (Republican), Maria L. Schantz (Republican), Lance M. Tittle (Republican), Melissa Torba (cross-filed).
- Whitehall-Coplay School District: Vote for 5 | LoriAnn Fehnel (Republican), Patty D. Gaugler (cross-filed), William Groller (Republican), Nichole L. Hartman (Republican), Seth Kubat (cross-filed), George Makhoul (Democrat), Fady Salloum (cross-filed).
- Wilson Area School District: Region II school director (vote for 1) — Jeffrey L. Breidinger Sr. (cross-filed), Holly Waugh (cross-filed), Annelle DiSanto (Republican).
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Steve Novak may be reached at [email protected].