Primary candidates in the Bethlehem Press coverage area were invited to answer the following question:

"What makes you uniquely qualified for the position you seek?"

NORTHAMPTON COUNTY

County Council

District 1 (vote for 1)

(Bethlehem-Hanover Twp.)

Ken Kraft (D)

District 3 (vote for 1)

(Bethlehem Twp.)

Lori Heffner (D)

Mickey Thompson (R)

John Cusick (R)

District Attorney

John Morganelli (D)

County Controller

Stephen Barron (D)

BETHLEHEM AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT

At large (vote for no more than 3)

Samuel Nazario (D)

Inez Aguilar (D)

Basilio Bonilla Jr. (D)

"Over the last three-and-a-half years on the Bethlehem School Board of Directors I have had the privilege of serving our district and community in several leadership positions (Curriculum Committee chair in 2014, board representative on the Superintendent's Advisory Committee on Diversity from 2014 to present, chair of the Bethlehem Area Vocational Technical School's Joint board chairman for 2015.) I also have the privilege of representing our district on the national level as a member of the National School Board Association's Hispanic Council and as member of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials. Throughout my first term on the school board I have stood up for fiscal responsibility, equal rights and senior citizens tax rebate program just to name a few. What makes me qualified to serve for a second term on the school board is my understanding of our district's finances and my devotion to this district and community."

Thomas Thomasik III (D)

Dan Treffinger (D)

Dean Donaher (D)

Karen Beck Pooley (D)

Thomas Thomasik III (R)

Samuel Nazario (R)

Dean Donaher (R)

Karen Beck Pooley (R)

"I think what makes me uniquely qualified to fill a position on the Bethlehem Area School District School Board is the range of perspective I would bring to the post. I am a parent of children in the district, so understand the value of high quality public education for our students. I am the product of public schools, so understand the critical foundation they provide. I am an active volunteer in the schools (as a two-year member of the BASD's Parent Advisory Committee), so am aware of the administration's overarching goals as well as what principals and teachers do to enrich the experiences of their students. And I am a city planner who focuses on affordable housing and neighborhood revitalization strategies for cities across the country, so understand the pivotal role public schools play in our communities.

All of these perspectives stress the weight of school directors' responsibilities – and those responsibilities are something I would take very seriously. My academic and professional experience (which have both included work on education-related policies and issues), as well as my personal experiences with public schools, prepare me well to tackle them."

Dan Treffinger (R)

Region 2 (vote for one)

Craig Neiman (D)

Craig Neiman (R)

Region 3 (vote for one)

Dan Treffinger (D)

Eugene McKeon (D)

Dan Treffinger (R)

Eugene McKeon (R)

SAUCON VALLEY

SCHOOL DISTRICT

At large (vote for no more than 5)

Bryan Eichfeld (D)

Linda Leewright (D)

Susan Baxter (D)

Mark Sivak (D)

Michael Karabin (D)

Bryan Eichfeld (R)

Linda Leewright (R)

Susan Baxter (R)

Mark Sivak (R)

Michael Karabin (R)

BETHLEHEM

City Council

Four-year term (vote for no more than 3)

J. William Reynolds (D)

"Public service has been my passion since my childhood. For the past 8 years, I have served my neighbors as a City Councilman where I have supported initiatives like the redevelopment of the Bethlehem Steel property.

As our current Council President, my most important task is balancing our budget and finding creative ways to stretch our tax dollars while maintaining a high level of service for all residents.

Bethlehem is a special place and I am proud to call it home. I feel my experience, work ethic and deep understanding of city government makes me uniquely qualified to tackle the pressing issues facing Bethlehem. We need strong leadership, and if re-elected, I will continue to provide that for all residents of our City."

Shawn Martell (D)

"The right candidate for Bethlehem understands the city's history and unparalleled qualities, and knows how to protect these while promoting smart progress and growth. To do so, they must understand the heart of the city, and have a well-rounded background in order to properly serve all. I bring both of these attributes to the task. First, I have a long family history in Bethlehem. My great-grandfather operated "Matz's Confectionary" peanut shop on E. Broad; my grandparents both worked for many years at Bethlehem Steel; my mother taught at Donegan Elementary and Sacred Heart schools; and my father has dedicated his career to the Bethlehem Boys and Girls Clubs. My inspiration for running is the model of community service exemplified by my family, and by the many community members I have come to know in over 30 years of living in the city.

Moreover, my personal background is exceptionally well-rounded. After graduating from Bethlehem Catholic and Moravian College, I worked on a Master's in Political Science at East Stroudsburg University. I have been an Economics and Government Instructor for 7 years. Before that I worked at the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, State Representative Joseph Brennan's local office, KidsPeace and the Bethlehem Boys and Girls Club. These experiences demonstrate a dedication to serving others, and have also afforded me the ability to understand the diverse needs of our citizens and how those needs can be best addressed by local government.

If elected, I will honor my commitment to all citizens by ensuring our first responders and public works employees have the needed support to protect our community, by encouraging smart urban infill and development whereby fostering competitive jobs, and by promoting equal opportunities for all. This approach guarantees a strong future built upon a proud history."

Michael Recchiuti (D)

"I believe I am uniquely qualified because I represent the interests of many of our constituencies here in Bethlehem. As Vice President of City Council, I know how important it is to be fiscally responsible in city government, so I worked to close a 6-million dollar budget deficit and helped pass a balanced budget. As a small business owner on Center Street, I know how important it is to attract and maintain good middle-class jobs here in the city, so I helped create the Bethlehem Revitalization and Improvement Zone Authority, paving the way for up to $800 million in new development and between 4,000 and 5,000 new jobs. As a taxpayer I know we must be more transparent in all that we do in city government, so I wrote and secured the passage of landmark legislation that for the first time gives the public insight into how the city spends tax dollars. Finally, as a father, I have a vested interest in keeping our city a safe and attractive place to raise a family, so I fought to continue to ensure that our police force is adequately staffed and trained and to ensure that our mounted patrol is maintained. Bethlehem is where I live, work, and am raising my family – those are three very good reasons why I'm going to continue to do everything I can to make Bethlehem a better place."

Michael Colon (D)

"Aside from my strong resume of service to this community I bring a comprehensive understanding of our local government. I've taken the time to attend our city budget hearings in 2012, 2013 and 2014. Since December of 2012 I've attended all but a handful of our city council meetings while also attending as many committee meetings as my schedule would allow. In the spring of 2013 I completed the Bethlehem Citizens' Academy; A unique course where every week our class met with a different department head in city government to learn about their function, facilities, successes and future challenges. My unparalleled attendance at city council meetings along with my completion of the Citizens' Academy has put me in a position to require no on-the-job training, but more importantly properly represent our citizens on day one of my term."

Two-year term (vote for 1)

Matthew McKernan (D)

Olga Negron (D)

"What makes me uniquely qualified to fill this position? None of my opponents have the background experience I have: EDUCATION: associate degree, marketing from Austin Community College, leadership development certificate from Institute for Leadership Education Advancement & Development and community organizing certificate from Pacific Institute for Community Organizing; MEMBER OF: Northampton County Democrats, Bethlehem Democrats, president of CACLV Board of Directors, Bethlehem Rotary Club, co-chair of Bethlehem Planning Commission – appointed by former Mayor Callahan, former vice president of BAPL – appointed by Mayor Donchez, Community Revitalization and Crime Prevention Advisory Board – appointed by former Governor Rendell; AND worked as a community organizer and executive director for nonprofit organizations, city of Allentown and State Representative Steve Samuelson. Now serving as the adult services technician for the Bethlehem Area Public Library."

Jeff Kocsis (D)

"Growing up in a working class family I learned many life lessons. One of the most important lessons I learned was when my father and grandfather would tell me, "If you don't stand for something you will fall for everything." This is true in every aspect of life, especially in politics. That being said, I will not be a rubber stamp politician. I will examine and discuss arising topics and situations. In doing so, my goal is to form a conclusion that is best for the city and its residents because as an elected official, you represent all residents of Bethlehem."

Controller (vote for 1)

George Yasso (D)

Kaija Farber (D)

Constable (vote for 1)

Ward 2

Kevin Spano (R)

Ward 13

Shawn Hoffert (D)

Jorge Rivera (D)

Beth Hoffert (R)

Ward 14

Matthew Messinger (D)

James Doyle (D)

Scott Hough (D)

Ward 15

Patrick Nieves (D)

Charles Seyfried (D)

Ward 16

Nicholas Santiago (D)

BETHLEHEM TOWNSHIP

Commissioner

At large (vote for 1)

Robert Birk (R)

Paul Weiss (R)

D. Martin Zawarski (R)

W1 (vote for 1)

Thomas Nolan (R)

Arthur Murphy (R)

Wayne Buller (R)

W3 (vote for 1)

Kim Jenkins (D)

Fran Blatz (R)

Phil Barnard (R)

Constable - At large

(vote for no more than 2)

Richard Seeds (D)

Shawn Fariello (R)

FREEMANSBURG

Council (vote for no more than 4)

Homer Lorrah (D)

Jim Smith (D)

Justin LaBar (D)

Constable (vote for 1)

Will Power (D)

Frank Gergar (D)

Jose Garcia (D)

FOUNTAIN HILL

Council (vote for no more than 3)

Annamarie Jordan (D)

Douglas Trotter Jr. (D)

Norman Blatt Jr. (D)

HANOVER TOWNSHIP

Supervisor (vote for 1)

Michael Prendeville (R)

HELLERTOWN

Council

Four-year term (vote for no more than 3)

Herb Payung Jr. (D)

Richard Staffieri (D)

Earl Hill (D)

Philip Weber (D)

Two-year term (vote for 1)

Earl Hill (D)

Herb Payung Jr. (D)

DISTRICT MAGISTRATE

District 03-01-04

District 03-02-01

Roy Manwaring (D)

Paul Bender (D)

Paul Bender (R)

Roy Manwaring (R)

District 03-02-03

William Blake (D)

Brian Altieri (D)

Patricia Broscius (D)

Sandra McClure (D)

Andrew Tupone (D)

Patricia Broscius (R)

Sandra McClure (R)

William Blake (R)

Andrew Tupone (R)

Bryan Altieri (R)

District 03-02-04

Amanda Kurecjan (D)

David Repyneck (D)

David Tidd (D)

David Tidd (R)

David Repyneck (R)

Amanda Kurecjan (R)

District 03-02-10

Nancy Gonzalez (D)

Nancy Gonzalez (R)