Ballots are due to the Northampton County Courthouse, located at 669 Washington Street, by 8 p.m. on May 7. (Photo courtesy WDIY)

Primary season is upon us, and for those registered with either of the major parties, this is your chance to decide who is on the ballot in November.

This guide will be taking a look at what is on the ballot of someone whose registered mailing address is here at Lafayette. Those registered elsewhere in Pennsylvania or out of state can use vote411.org, vote.org or your local county elections office to find information on who is running and where or how you can vote.

Getting to the polls

Although Pennsylvania’s voting laws are currently being challenged in court, the deadlines for this election are the same as last: register at least 15 days before the election (by May 2) and, for those who prefer mail-in ballots, request them by May 10. If you are unsure of your voter registration status or polling location, they can be found at ​​vote.pa.gov.

Lafayette students voting in-person can do so at Kirby Sports Center between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. Those who are in line to vote by 8 p.m. cannot be turned away. Additionally, for those who elect to vote by mail, ballots must be received by the Northampton County Office of Elections and Voter Registration, located at 669 Washington Street, by 8 p.m. on May 17. Mail-in ballots merely postmarked by that time and not received will be discarded.

Who is on the ballot?

United States Senator

Democratic candidates

John Fetterman is the current Lieutenant Governor, having served alongside Gov. Tom Wolf (D) since 2019. He was previously the mayor of Braddock and a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2016.

Conor Lamb currently represents District 17 (Beaver County and parts of Butler and Allegheny Counties) in the U.S. House of Representatives. Lamb is also a U.S. Marine Reservist and, before his tenure in Congress, was an Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

Malcolm Kenyatta is the state representative for the 181st District, covering northern Philadelphia. He has worked as an activist, consulted for and managed various Pennsylvania Democratic campaigns, served as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention and represented Pennsylvania in the Electoral College.

Alexandria Khalil is an IT specialist and Jenkintown Borough councilwoman. She has taught business courses at Gwynedd Mercy College, was elected as a Bernie Sanders delegate for Montgomery County and used to operate a 7-Eleven.

Republican candidates

Jeff Bartos is a Montgomery County businessman and real estate developer who founded the 30 Day Fund, a nonprofit which gives loans to Pennsylvania businesses affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Bartos was the Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor in 2018.

Carla Sands is a real estate investor and diplomat who served as the U.S. Ambassador to Denmark under former President Donald J. Trump (R). She has also worked as a chiropractor and actress.

Mehmet Öz is a cardiothoracic surgeon and television personality best known as the host of “The Dr. Oz Show.”

David McCormick, a veteran of the U.S. Army, is a former hedge fund CEO who served as Under Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs in the George W. Bush administration.

Kathy Barnette is an author and political commentator from Montgomery County. An Army veteran, Barnette was the Republican nominee for the U.S. House in Pennsylvania’s 4th District in 2020.

George Bochetto is a Philadelphia attorney and Pennsylvania State Boxing Commissioner under former Governor Tom Ridge (R).

Sean Gale is a Montgomery County based business and health care attorney.

United States Representative (District 7)

Democratic candidates

Susan Wild (Incumbent) is running unopposed.

Republican candidates

Lisa Scheller, a former Lehigh County Commissioner, was the Republican nominee for PA-7 in 2020, losing by four points to Wild. She is the current chairwoman and president of Silberline Manufacturing Co.–a paint ingredient manufacturer founded by her grandparents–and the founder and “benefactor” of Hope & Coffee, a nonprofit Tamaqua based coffee shop which helps individuals recovering from drug addiction.

Kevin Dellicker is the founder and CEO of Dellicker Strategies, a technology company based in Germansville. He served as an economic advisor to former Governor Ridge and an environmental policy advisor to the New York State Senate. Dellicker is also an Army National Guard veteran.

Governor

Democratic candidates

Josh Shapiro, the current Pa. Attorney General, is running unopposed.

Republican candidates

Lou Barletta represented the 11th District in Congress from 2011 to 2019, giving up his seat to run for Senate in 2018. Barletta served as the mayor of Hazleton for the decade prior to his House stint and, before that, as a city councilman. He also founded a pavement marking company which he operated from 1984 to 2000.

Jake Corman is the president pro tempore and former majority leader of the State Senate, representing central Pennsylvania (SD-34) since 1999. (Editor’s note: Corman terminated his campaign and endorsed Barletta for the governorship on May 12. He will still appear on the ballot)

William McSwain was the Trump-appointed U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania from 2018 to 2021. He is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and resides in Chester County.

Joe Gale has served as a Montgomery County Commissioner since 2016.

Charlie Gerow is a longtime political strategist. He is the Vice Chairman of the American Conservative Union, the group which organizes the Conservative Political Action Conference, as well as the CEO of Quantum Communications, a public relations firm. He has served as a delegate to the Republican National Convention.

Melissa Hart represented PA-4 in Congress from 2001 to 2007 and District 40 in the State Senate for the decade prior. She is currently an attorney at a small law firm and serves on the board of directors for a Allegheny County based bank.

Doug Mastriano is a state senator for the 33rd District, representing Adams, Cumberland, Franklin and York Counties since 2019. He is an Army veteran.

Dave White of Delaware County is the owner of DWD Mechanical Contractor Inc., an HVAC installation company. He is a member of the Steamfitters union and a former Delaware County Councilman.

Nche Zama is an East Stroudsburg based cardiothoracic surgeon and philanthropist. He has worked for hospitals and taught at medical schools across the Commonwealth.

Shawn Berger is a businessman and restaurateur from Palmerton.

Lieutenant Governor 

Democratic candidates

Austin Davis is a Pittsburgh-area state representative, serving the 35th District since 2018. He has advised various Allegheny County Democratic politicians.

Brian Sims has represented the 182nd District (Center City, Philadelphia) in the State House since 2012. He is an attorney who has worked for numerous LGBT advocacy groups.

Ray Sosa is a second-time candidate for Lieutenant Governor, having run in the primary and lost in 2018. He has worked for various state governments.

Republican candidates

Clarice Schillinger of Horsham is the founder of Keeping Kids in School PAC and Back to School PA, two Pennsylvania political groups which promote school board candidates favoring in-person learning and “transparency” in the classroom.

Teddy Daniels is an Army veteran, former police officer, and one-time congressional candidate from Wayne County. He founded a security and consulting firm which caters to the legal marijuana industry.

Rick Saccone represented the 29th District in the State House from 2011 to 2019. After serving in the Air Force, Saccone worked as a news anchor in South Korea, where he was stationed, and later earned a doctorate in international affairs. He taught political science and international affairs at St. Vincent College for 21 years until he resigned due to his role in the January 6th Capitol riot.

Carrie DelRosso of Allegheny County has represented the 33rd District in the State House since 2021. She is a small business owner and former town councilwoman.

Russ Diamond is a four-term state representative and former perennial candidate serving the 102nd District in Lebanon County. He is a former recording studio owner who led an unsuccessful push to oust every incumbent from state government in 2006 following a State House pay raise.

John Brown is a Northampton County councilman, former Northampton County Executive, and the Republican candidate for Pennsylvania Auditor General in 2016. He served as the mayor of Bangor from 2010 to 2013.

Christopher Frye Jr. is a former social worker and the mayor of New Castle. 

Jeffrey Coleman is a former state representative for the 60th District (Armstrong and Indiana Counties). He has served as a political consultant since his 2004 retirement from the General Assembly.

James Jones is a business strategist and Navy veteran from Hatboro. He has twice run for Congress.

Senator in the General Assembly (District 18)

Democratic candidates

Lisa Boscola (Incumbent) is running unopposed.

Republican candidates

John Jules Merhottein Jr., a Marine veteran and current president of Bethlehem Township Board of Commissioners, is running unopposed.

Representative in the General Assembly (District 136)

Robert L. Freeman (Incumbent), a Democrat, is running unopposed. There are no candidates for the Republican nomination.

State party committee members

Democratic candidates (Choose six; three males and three females)

There are three males on the ballot: Alexander Bryan Altieri, Michael H. Laws and Jeff Kennedy Faubert.

Females:

April Niver is the Economic Development Director for Congressman Matthew Cartwright (PA-08). She has worked as a professor and managed the campaign of Northampton County Councilwoman Lori Vargo Heffner in 2015.

Sandra O’Brien-Werner is a former Easton Area teacher and the owner of Pro Press FX, a printing services company.

Kristin M. Volchansky is a political organizer who has worked for various state senate campaigns. She is currently a member of the Snyder County Democratic Committee.

Victoria Opthof-Cordaro is a Lower Saucon Township-area political activist.

Leslie M. Altieri is a juvenile detention counselor and former candidate for State House.

Republican candidates (Choose seven; three males, three females and one of either gender)

Males:

Matthew Flower is a former Northampton County constable candidate and convicted criminal from Danielsville.

Andrew Azan III is a former candidate for delegate to the Republican National Convention.

Jimmy Zumba is the founder of JZ Enterprises LLC, a “consumer product innovation company.”

John Brown (read above) currently serves on the state Republican Party committee.

Richard Morea is a Bushkill Township judge of elections who co-founded RK Energy Group, an energy consulting company, with his wife, Katharina.

Craig L. DeFranco currently serves on the state Republican Party committee.

Steve Lynch was the Republican nominee for Northampton County Executive in 2021. He is the president of a personal training company.

Gerald L. Pritchard is a former candidate for Lehigh Township Supervisor.

Joseph G. Moyer is a project manager from Allentown.

Females:

Debra A. Biro is a Crayola employee from Nazareth.

Linda Gerenser Stubits currently serves on the state Republican Party committee.

Beverly Hernandez is a retired social worker from Easton, former president of League of  Women Voters and member of Northampton County Republican Executive Committee.

Margie Mandell is a political activist from Bath.

Katharina Morea is the co-founder of RK Energy Group.

Melanie Heilman is a volunteer firefighter from Bethlehem.

Annette Kuyan resides in Bethlehem.

Kristin Soldridge was a candidate for Northampton County Council in 2021.

Gloria Lee Snover is the current Northampton County GOP Chairwoman.

Northampton County party committees

There are no Democratic nor Republican candidates for Northampton County party committees.

Note 5/12/2022: This article was updated to reflect the status of Sen. Jake Corman’s campaign for governor. Margie Mandell’s political experience was added and her campaign Facebook page has been linked.