Nine candidates will be going tooth to nail for four open seats on the Lehigh County Board of Commissioners in the May 19 primary election.

The county board of commissioners Democratic race is uncontested. The candidates running for the four open seats are Hillary Smith, of Lower Macungie Township; Bob Martin, of Upper Macungie Township; Dan Hartzell, of South Whitehall Township and Joanne Jackson, of Upper Saucon Township.

The Republican candidates include Dean N. Browning, of South Whitehall Township; Amanda Holt, of Upper Macungie Township; Victor Mazziotti, of Allentown; Marty Nothstein, of Lowhill Township and Brad Osborne, of South Whitehall Township.

The Press recently asked the Republican candidates the question: "What makes you uniquely qualified for this position?"

Responses appear below:

Dean Browning

The current commissioners have not passed a balanced budget since they have been in office. We need to truly balance the budget and eliminate the deficit. I have proposed a Balanced Budget Amendment for the county to address the first issue. I have over 35 years of private sector business that gives me the knowledge to identify the real spending reforms needed at the county and the experience to implement those changes. I will responsibly reduce spending and never let expenses grow faster than revenue.

Amanda Holt

My commitment to working for the public good was demonstrated through my pursuit of impartial redistricting solutions, which won relief for approximately two million Pennsylvanians. Since my appointment to the board of commissioners in July 2014, I've brought this same out-of-the-box thinking to find common ground and solutions that will enhance services, while moving the county budget back into alignment. I have invested hundreds of hours, both in visiting the various county departments to learn firsthand how the county operates, as well as working to ensure the county spends money responsibly, while serving the public good with excellence and integrity.

Victor Mazziotti

Just like the average taxpayer, Lehigh County must find ways to do "more with less." I ran for office in 2011 in response to a 16 percent tax increase. I have been fighting to reduce taxes, while maintaining needed county services. In the last three years the county commissioners have reduced the county tax rate twice, without reducing county services. If re-elected, I will continue to fight for a cost effective Lehigh County government. My education (Bachelor of Science in accounting, master of public administration), prior work experience (chief financial officer in three government organizations) and proven track record as a county commissioner for the past three plus years, qualifies me to serve the residents of Lehigh County as a county commissioner.

Marty Nothstein

I am excited to be part of a team with three current county commissioners who have been able to continue providing exceptional county services while, at the same time, decreasing taxes. The support and resources I received within Lehigh County were important to my career as a cyclist, and I hope to give back to our community as their representative. I worked hard to achieve my dream of an Olympic gold medal and promise to bring the same dedication to the board of commissioners.

Brad Osborne

I have been a Lehigh County resident and active community member for over 28 years. During this time, I was the sole proprietor of a small business providing service to Fortune 50 oil companies and am currently the plant manager for a chemical manufacturer providing unique chemicals to the worldwide paints and coating industry.

In these roles, I developed and managed within the confines of a budget and led organizations to achieve results by exploring practices and challenging ourselves to improve faster than our competition. I bring a similar analytical and results-oriented approach to local government as a county commissioner.