Election season is back once again, and while the presidency isn’t at stake this year, there are plenty of important local and statewide races to follow ahead of Election Day on Nov. 4.
The candidates below will be on the ballot for anyone whose mailing address is located at Lafayette College. If you are registered elsewhere in Pennsylvania or out of state, use vote411.org, vote.org or your local county election office to find information about who is running and how to vote.
Getting to the polls
All Pennsylvania voters must be registered by Oct. 20, and mail-in ballots must be requested by Oct. 28. Those who are unsure of their voter registration status or polling location can find information at vote.pa.gov.
Any Lafayette students voting in person can do so at Kirby Sports Center between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Election Day. Mail-in ballots must be received by the Northampton County Office of Elections and Voter Registration, located at 669 Washington St.
Justice of the Supreme Court (10-year term)
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court is the highest state court within the Commonwealth, handling cases that are appealed more than once. These justices hear cases about the constitutionality of legal acts and declare what is or is not lawful under the Pennsylvania Constitution.
This is a retention election, an election in which voters vote yes or no to grant a Supreme Court judge another term, a process that occurs every 10 years.
Democratic candidates
Christine Donohue previously held a seat on the Pennsylvania Superior Court before stepping into the Supreme Court in 2015. She has multiple decades of experience as a lawyer in Allegheny County and is a Schuylkill County native.
Kevin Dougherty is a former assistant district attorney and judge for the Court of Common Pleas in Philadelphia County. He also has multiple years of experience in a family court program, before he was appointed to the bench in 2001 by then Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge.
David Wecht served as a law clerk in the U.S. Court of Appeals in his early career, practicing law at various firms before serving as a judge on the Court of Common Pleas in Pennsylvania’s fifth judicial district. He served as a Superior Court judge from 2012 to 2016 before joining the Supreme Court.
Superior Court judge (10-year term)
The Pennsylvania Superior Court hears appeals in criminal and most civil cases from the Courts of Common Pleas and appeals on matters dealing with children and families; it is often the highest level that cases reach. There is currently an 8-6 Democratic majority with one vacancy, left by a Democratic judge in 2024.
Democratic candidate
Brandon Neuman has been a judge for the Washington County Court of Common Pleas since 2016. He previously worked as a state legislator in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for four terms and as an attorney handling nursing home abuse.
Republican candidate
Maria Battista is a former assistant district attorney in Venango County with 15 years of experience working as counsel in the Pennsylvania Departments of Health and State. Prior, she served as an assistant district attorney in Franklin County, Pennsylvania.
Judge Alice Dubow, a Democrat, is also running in a yes-no retention election as her first term is concluding.
Liberal candidate
Daniel Wassmer, running under the Liberal line, is also on the ballot. Wassmer is an occupational lawyer and works as an adjunct law professor at Bucks County Community College.
Commonwealth Court judge (10-year term)
The Commonwealth Court deals with original civil actions brought by and against the state and appeals from decisions made by state agencies and the Court of Common Pleas. Currently, there is a 5-3 Republican majority in the court with one vacancy.
Democratic candidate
Stella Tsai has served as a judge on the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas since 2016. She previously worked as a litigator for individuals, nonprofits and businesses. She also oversaw child welfare cases in Philadelphia’s city law department.
Republican candidates
Matthew Wolford is a private practice attorney from Wolford Law, operating his own firm for more than 25 years. He specializes in regulatory, administrative and environmental law, and serves as an adjunct professor at Gannon College.
Judge Michael Wojcik, a Democrat, is running in a yes-no retention election as his term is concluding.
Northampton County Court of Common Pleas judge (10-year term)
The Court of Common Pleas encounters both criminal and civil court cases and issues warrants. This election will fill the seat being vacated by Republican Judge Anthony Beltrami.
Democratic candidate
Jeremy Clark has worked as an assistant city solicitor in Easton for five years. Before, he served as the divorce master for Northampton County for nearly a decade and began his own private practice in 2013.
Republican candidate
James Fuller currently serves as an assistant district attorney in Monroe County. He worked as a public defender in previous positions and handled cases centered on homicides and juvenile delinquency.
Northampton County executive (4-year term)
The Northampton County executive is responsible for enforcing county laws and carrying out policies adopted by the Northampton County Council. The current executive, Democrat Lamont McClure, is instead running for Congress.
Democratic candidate
Tara Zrinski has served as the Northampton County controller for just under two years. Before, she held a seat on the Northampton County Council from 2018 to 2022. She also serves in various board positions with organizations such as the Lehigh Northampton Airport Authority and Lehigh Valley Planning Commission, and works in the solar industry.
Republican candidate
Thomas Giovanni has served on the Northampton County Council since 2019 and is a retired technology consultant and purchasing manager. He serves on the Community Economic Development Committee of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania and is a trustee for the Nazareth Mutual Insurance Company.
Northampton County Council (6-year term, vote for 5)
The Northampton County Council acts as the county’s legislature and decides the annual county budget. Currently, there is a 6-3 Democrat majority, but the majority could flip with five seats now up for grabs.
Democratic candidates
David Holland is a psychiatric nurse practitioner and East Stroudsburg University professor working with individuals with substance abuse issues. He has worked for 20 years in the long-term care industry.
Theresa Fadem was elected as a Hellertown borough councilwoman in 2021 and resigned in May to become the borough’s full-time zoning and codes enforcement officer. She has two decades of experience as a real estate manager.
Lori Vargo Heffner is the current president of the Northampton County Council and has served on the council for eight years. She currently chairs the council’s governance and election integrity committees. She has 35 years of experience as an addiction counselor.
Jason Boulette is a Wind Gap borough councilman, serving since January 2024. For the past 25 years, he has worked as a business analyst and a vice president at BNY, a New York City-based global financial services company.
Nadeem Qayyum worked as a lawyer in Pakistan before immigrating to the United States in the 1990s. He has worked in business management for three decades, including owning the Phillipsburg restaurant Ladybug, which opened in 2011 and closed in 2013. His wife, Taiba Sultana, became the first woman of color and Muslim to serve on the Easton City Council in 2022.
Republican candidates
Sam Elias is a patrol sergeant in the Bethlehem Police Department, serving on the force for 22 years. He also works for real estate enterprise Sunblest Holdings LLC, buying, selling and managing local properties.
John Goffredo serves as the vice president of the Northampton County Council and chairs the Economic Development Committee. He has served on the council since 2021, and also works as a project manager with Nu Cor Management, his family’s construction company.
John Brown is a seasoned Northampton County councilman and the former mayor of Bangor, Pennsylvania. He served as the county executive from 2013 to 2017, and ran a race for the state’s auditor general position in 2016.
Daniel Campo is a commercial airline pilot and has experience as a local volunteer firefighter. He immigrated from Venezuela 11 years ago.
Juan Martinez is the owner and operator of the Don Juan Mex Grill and William Penn Storage in Easton. He also serves as the chair of the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Advocacy Fund, a project that lobbies for restaurant interests.
Easton Area School Board directors (4-year term)
The Easton Area School District’s board of directors oversees the district’s academic operations: strategic planning, finances, staff development, curriculum implementation and student support.
Region III (vote for 2)
Democratic candidates
Meg Sayago has served on the Easton Area School Board for 15 years, including a stint as its president.
Edward Keegan is a former member of the Easton Area School Board, serving one term before losing reelection in 2023. He is a former Hunterdon County, New Jersey, school district superintendent.
Republican candidate
Shaun Jensen is a New York City high school science teacher, working there since 2003.
Easton City Council (4-year term)
The city council manages the city’s budget and sets ordinances.
Democratic candidate
Susan Hartranft-Bittinger, running unopposed, has been a member of the Easton Area School Board since 2021. She has also worked as a claims manager in the insurance industry.
Andreas Pelekis ‘26, Makenna McCall ‘27 and Clara Witmer ‘27 contributed reporting.
