Voters have decided Republican Percy H. Dougherty will return for another 4-year term serving as the District 2 representative on the Lehigh County Board of Commissioners.

According to unofficial Lehigh County Voter Registration results, Dougherty received 6,594 votes, 57 percent of the total 11,571 votes cast.

In an email to The Press, Dougherty had the following comments after the election.

"Thank you to all of the people who voted for me for a 4 year term as county commissioner. It was a campaign based on my background, experience, leadership and a record of results. Both the primary and the general election were hotly contested so I am especially proud to be the voter's choice. Any successful campaign is a team effort. Special thanks is extended to treasurer Bill Royer, webmaster Everette Carr, and my wife Anne Dougherty who provided loving support and sage advice. Also, thank you to all of the volunteers who made phone calls, put up signs, made donations and worked the polls.

"It is going to be a challenging future for the county. We are spending more than we are earning through property taxes. That cannot continue. We have to work with the state to reform the property tax system in order to remove some of the burden from property owners. Attention also has to be made to enhancing efficiency in county offices, and encouraging intergovernmental cooperation and regionalization to cut costs. Continuing economic development must be encouraged to provide jobs and keep taxes low."

Dougherty, a resident of Shepherd Hills, is a retired Kutztown University professor.

He has a Ph.D. in physical geography and geology from Boston University with a specialization in water resources and limestone landforms.

Democrat Susan Ellis Wild received 43 percent of the total, garnering 4,977 votes.

District 2 includes the Borough of Alburtis and the Townships of Lower Macungie, South Whitehall and Upper Macungie.