ALLENTOWN, Pa. — The race for Allentown City Council has its first candidate.
Jeremy Binder on Monday night announced his campaign for one of four seats up for grabs on council during the 2025 election cycle.
Binder, a Democrat, told dozens gathered at Ripple Church that he wants to help council develop a better relationship and “connectivity” between residents and city officials.
“There may be a better way of doing things, even if we didn’t invent them in Allentown."Jeremy Binder, candidate for Allentown City Council
Binder grew up in Breinigsville after his family moved out of the city. He attended Full Sail University in Orlando before living in Boston and Honolulu.
Those experiences in various regions of the United States taught Binder “to look at things from different angles,” he said. He said he wants to bring “a broader perspective” to council.
“There may be a better way of doing things, even if we didn’t invent them in Allentown,” Binder said.
‘Focus on community’
Binder and his wife, Ripple Executive Director Sherri Brokopp Binder, moved to Allentown’s Franklin Park in 2013.
He said he launched his campaign at Ripple Church because he wanted to highlight it and other nonprofits “where the magic happens, … where neighbors come together” to discuss their problems and solutions.
"I believe so deeply in the power of community."Jeremy Binder, candidate for Allentown City Council
A “focus on community” would be “the keystone” of Binder’s term on council, if elected, he said.
"I believe so deeply in the power of community,” he said. “As a member of council, I’ll work with my colleagues to engage and support leaders at the neighborhood level.”
“I believe healthy, vibrant neighborhoods like this one and others in Allentown are the hallmark of a healthy city.
“By supporting opportunities for neighbors to connect with one another and with local officials and city leaders, we can work together to address core quality-of-life issues.”
Open seats?
Allentown voters will choose four council members in 2025.
The terms of Council President Cynthia Mota and members Ed Zucal, Daryl Hendricks and Natalie Santos are due to expire in early 2026.
Zucal and Mota have set their eyes on a bigger prize: Mayor Matt Tuerk’s seat.
That could leave a more open path for Binder and others, as they may not have to beat an incumbent to claim a seat.
“This is a ‘We’ campaign; It's not a ‘Me’ campaign."Jeremy Binder, candidate for Allentown City Council
Hendricks on Monday told LehighValleyNews.com he’ll “probably” run for a fourth term next year. But he said he’s in “no rush” to get into campaign mode, with council working to finalize the city’s 2025 budget.
Santos, council’s youngest-ever member, did not respond Monday to an email about whether she will seek re-election.
Name recognition
Binder, who owns an Allentown-based IT and security consulting firm, acknowledged he faces a name-recognition battle against incumbents seeking re-election.
“Name recognition is a thing, and I need to work hard to overcome that,” he said before making a plea for financial assistance and supporters’ help to spread his message.
“This is a ‘We’ campaign; It's not a ‘Me’ campaign,” Binder said.
Democratic and Republican primaries are scheduled for May 20 in Pennsylvania. Nominees chosen in the spring will face off Nov. 4 in the general election.
