BETHLEHEM, Pa. — The 2023 primary election officially is over in the Lehigh Valley after election officials in Lehigh and Northampton counties certified results this week.
Northampton County completed its 2023 primary season Tuesday when its Elections Commission certified results, while Lehigh County certified its results Wednesday.
- Northampton and Lehigh county officials have certified their 2023 primary results
- Election Night results are unofficial until they are certified
- November general election ballots will feature several high-profile contests, including the race for Northampton County DA
Pennsylvania counties post unofficial results after polls close on Election Night. Those results are not official until they are canvassed and certified.
Canvassing requires election workers to “reconcile” the number of ballots that were cast with the number of voters “to make sure that every valid vote is included in the final results,” according to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission.
The canvassing process in Pennsylvania counties starts at 9 a.m. on the Friday after elections.
State statutes also require election workers to conduct a post-election audit on at least 2% of ballots cast. That means Lehigh County officials had to audit at least 894 votes, while Northampton County officials had to audit at least 837 votes.
Since September 2022, the Pennsylvania Department of State has required all counties to complete a “risk-limiting audit” after each election “to ensure that voting systems comply with federal and state laws regarding accuracy and reliability.”
Election results are considered official after they are certified, which happens when officials “issue a written statement attesting that the election results are a true and accurate accounting of all votes cast” in an election, according to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission.
All primary results in both counties are now official.Lehigh and Northampton County election officials
All primary results in both counties now are official.
Lehigh County Board of Elections held its "first certification" meeting Wednesday.
Candidates now have five days to challenge the results in court, Lehigh County Executive Phil Armstrong said.
"Speak now or forever hold your peace," he said.
Lehigh County officials do not expect any challenges during the five-day window, Armstrong said, noting the 2023 primary went "very smoothly."
The Board of Elections is scheduled to meet June 5 for a "final certification" of 2023 primary results.
Races to watch in November
While the outcomes of many races were all but decided in the May 16 primary, some high-profile contests will continue for the Nov. 7 general election.
Former judge Stephen Baratta successfully challenged incumbent Northampton County District Attorney Terry Houck for the Democratic nomination for that office.
But Houck secured the Republican Party’s nomination after picking up almost 1,500 write-in votes, meaning he'll face Baratta again in the November general election.
Dueling slates of candidates that faced off in the primary will continue their battle for seats on the Southern Lehigh school board.
Opposing candidate groups for Parkland School Board also will face off again in the general election.
Eleven candidates sought nominations for East Penn School Board in the May 16 primary; 10 will move on to the general election.
The five-candidate Your Voice on the Board slate — Paul Barbehenn, Kristofer DePaolo, Lawrence Huyssen, Matt Mull and Angelic Schneider — will appear as Republicans on November ballots.
Democratic nominations for East Penn School Board were secured by Shonta Ford, Gabrielle Klotz, Timothy Kelly and incumbents Jeffrey Jankowski and Joshua Levinson.
Brian Wessner, the only candidate who did not cross-file or work with a slate, was the sole candidate eliminated in the May 16 primary.
Republican Nancy Aaroe will face Democrat Brian Panella in the race for Northampton County judge, while Republican Tina Jo Koren is set to run against Democrat Joseph Marx for Whitehall mayor.
Sheila Alvarado, Dan Hartzell, April Riddick and Jon Irons secured the Democratic Party’s nominations for the Lehigh County Board of Commissioners. They will face Republicans Rita Sisselberger, Gary Fedorcha, Paul Moat and Jacqueline Rivera in the fall.
The seven-candidate race for Democratic nominations for Allentown City Council went the way of three incumbents — Ce-Ce Gerlach, Santo Napoli and Candida Affa — who will face little to no competition in the general election.
Santo Panto Jr. fended off a challenge from Easton City Council member Peter Melan to, barring a write-in candidate, essentially win his fifth consecutive term — and seventh overall — as the city’s mayor.
Gavin Holihan is expected to succeed Jim Martin as Lehigh County District Attorney after securing both parties' nominations during the 2023 primary.
Holihan, who has worked for three decades as a prosecutor and criminal defense attorney, ran unopposed for both nominations.
