Tara Zrinski declared victory Tuesday night in the Northampton County executive race, becoming the first woman to capture the seat since the county converted to an executive-council form of government in the late 1970s.
Zrinski was leading by more than 15,000 votes Tuesday night, 51,406-35,621, according to unofficial election results with 100% of precinct reporting.
She could have a potentially friendly County Council to work with after Democrats appeared to have swept the five seats on the ballot.
Zrinski, 50, a Bethlehem Democrat, who served six years on County Council before being elected county controller in 2023, faced Wind Gap Republican Giovanni, 72, who was first elected to Council in 2019 to represent portions of the Slate Belt. He was reelected four years later.
She will replace Executive Lamont G. McClure, a Democrat who served eight years in the post before deciding to not seek a third term. McClure congratulated Zrinski on her victory Tuesday night during a victory celebration at McCarthy’s Red Stag Pub in Bethlehem.
Before becoming county controller, Zrinski worked in education as a teacher and as a solar-energy consultant.
The executive’s duties include managing the county’s annual budget and a large workforce, and overseeing operations that include elections, the jail and Gracedale nursing home.
Zrinski will earn $105,000 annually, a 23.5% pay hike approved by council. She will be the first executive to be limited to two consecutive four-year terms, thanks to a 2023 voter referendum.
Democratic candidates were also leading in the race for five County Council seats on the ballot, according to the unofficial results. Council President Lori Vargo Heffner was the lead vote getter, followed by David Holland, Jason Boulette, Theresa Fadem and Nadeem Qayyum.
Qayyum, who received the least votes among the Democrats, still led the Sam Elias, who led all Republicans in votes, by about 9,000. The results would mean two incumbents, council Vice President John P. Goffredo and John Brown, a first-time council member and former Bangor mayor and county executive who lost to McClure in 2018, would have failed in their reelection bids. The other Republicans running were Daniel Campo and Juan E. Martinez.
The results would give Democrats an 8-1 majority on council.
Contact Morning Call reporter Anthony Salamone at asalamone@mcall.com.