Lehigh County

Graupner announces candidacy for County Clerk

Michelle Graupner recently announced her candidacy for Lehigh County clerk of judicial courts, a position had held by Andrea Naugle, who is retiring.

Naugle, the longest serving Lehigh County row officer and 50-year employee of Lehigh County, was appointed acting clerk of courts in September 1995 upon the retirement of Doris Glaessmann and elected to the position in November of that year. She held the position for seven terms, last re-elected in 2019.

Controller Mark Pinsley announces re-election bid Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley, who was first elected in 2019, announced he will seek re-election in 2023.

During his tenure in office, Pinsley became a leading advocate to lower health care costs by exposing a health care system that placed unearned profits before the health care needs of Lehigh County taxpayers. His innovative work on this issue, identifying over $7 million in total health care savings for the county, was recently highlighted in Bloomberg News.

Pinsley also sought responsible criminal justice reform, eviction protection for our most vulnerable citizens and the expansion of voting rights by advocating the continued use of drop boxes.

Northampton County

Ballot drop-off box locations

The Northampton County Elections Office announces that it will install a secure ballot drop-off box for mail-in ballots in each of the county’s four districts. The boxes were available starting Wednesday, April 19. Accessing the drop-off boxes does not require going through security at any location.

Northampton County Courthouse

669 Washington St., Easton

Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m.-8 p.m.

Saturday, April 29 and Saturday, May 6 from 9 a.m. noon

When dropping off a ballot, voters can park for free in the loading-and-unloading zone on Washington Street in front of the courthouse or use the parking lot at the Wolf Avenue and Washington Street intersection.

Northampton County Human Services Building

2801 Emrick Blvd., Bethlehem, Mon-Fri, 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m.

Northampton County 911 Center:

100 Gracedale Ave., Nazareth, Mon-Fri, 8:30 a.m.-8 p.m.

Bethlehem City Hall:

10 E. Church St., Bethlehem Mon-Fri, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.*

*drop box available until 8 p.m. Election Night, May 16

To ensure your mail-in ballot is accepted, voters must make sure the ballot is enclosed in the sealed secrecy envelope, the return envelope is signed and dated, there are no identifying marks or symbols on the secrecy envelope, and the ballot is returned to the Elections Office by 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 16.

Voters may only drop off their own ballots. Third-party return of ballots is prohibited unless the person returning the ballot is rendering assistance to a disabled voter or emergency absentee voter and has a signed “Certification of Designated Agent” form on file at the Elections Office. A copy of this form can be downloaded at https://www.vote.pa.gov/Resources/Documents/Authorize-Designated-Agent-for-Mail-in-or-Absentee-Ballot.pdf.

Applications for a mail-in or civilian absentee ballots are available in the Elections Office or at https://www.vote.pa.gov/Voting-in-PA/Pages/Mail-and-Absentee-Ballot.aspx orhttps://www.northamptoncounty.org/CTYADMN/ELECTNS/Pages/AbsenteeVoting.aspx. The last day to apply for a mail-in or civilian absentee ballot is May 9.

Counterfeiting, forging, tampering with or destroying ballots is a second-degree misdemeanor pursuant to sections 1816 and 1817 of the PA Election Code. (25 P.S. §§ 3516 and 3517)

Voters can track the status of their mail-in or absentee ballots at https://www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/Pages/BallotTracking.aspx.