Voters throughout Pennsylvania went to the polls on May 21 to select their party’s candidates in the state’s primary elections. The elections come ahead of the Nov. 5 general elections for municipal and other local positions. With most votes counted, here are the election’s unofficial results for various positions in and around Bethlehem, in Lehigh and Northampton counties.
Northampton County District Attorney
Terry Houck, D, beat out Nuria DiLuzio for the Democratic ticket to run against Tom Carroll, a Republican who ran unopposed in the primary. Houck is current Northampton County DA John Morganelli’s first assistant, and hopes to take over the job from his boss when Morganelli leaves his post to become a county judge.
Bethlehem City Council
Each of the three Democratic Bethlehem city council members who ran for re-election this year have won their primaries – Michael Colon, Paige Van Wirt and William Reynolds – defending several challenges, including from Carol Ritter, who ran but was not chosen for the vacant seat appointment last year. Grace Crampsie Smith, also a Democrat, won the primary for the two-year seat that is currently held by Sean Martell, who decided not to seek re-election this year.
No Republicans filed to run for a city council spot.
Incumbents in Easton, Allentown
Both incumbent mayors in Easton and Allentown won their party’s primary elections. Incumbent Allentown Mayor Ray O’Connell, D, will face Timothy Ramos, R, who ran unopposed in the Republican primary. The election will decide which candidate gets to fill the last two years of former Mayor Ed Pawlowski’s term. Pawlowski is in jail on corruption and bribery counts.
In Easton, incumbent Mayor Sal Panto will move on to face unchallenged Republican Timothy Reilly in the November general election.
Lehigh County District Attorney
Jim Moreno, D, will run against incumbent Jim Martin, R, for Lehigh County District Attorney.
Martin is currently battling with Bethlehem’s municipal marijuana ordinance, which aims to decriminalize marijuana throughout the city. Martin has refused to enforce the ordinance in the Lehigh County section of the city.
From Lehigh University
Sarah Stanlick, a professor of practice in the Sociology and Anthropology department and the director of the Center for Community Engagement, was on the Democratic ballot for Lower Saucon Township council. She will advance and be one of the six candidates on the ballot for the three 4-year council seats in the November election.
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