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Lehigh Valley school board race results from Tuesday’s election ran the gambit with longtime incumbent Republicans and Democrats comfortably being reelected while others found themselves ousted from office.
Meanwhile, many school boards will have at least one new face as many current board members opted not to run again.
Among incumbents losing seats were Republicans Michael Felegy in East Penn, Christopher Wayock and Stephen Maund in Southern Lehigh School, Ashley Mort in Bangor Area, Douglas Vaughn and Nathan Lichtenwalner in Northampton Area, and Melissa Kalinoski and Kathryn Roberts in Nazareth Area.
Allentown and Southern Lehigh each will have four new four-year members while Parkland and East Penn will each have three new members.
Meanwhile, in Easton Area, Democrat Edward Keegan will return to the board after losing his seat in 2023.
Here is a look at the unofficial results in contested races from Tuesday’s election. Catasauqua Area, Northern Lehigh, Northwestern Lehigh, Salisbury and Wilson Area did not have any contested races. Some districts listed had unchallenged seats as well, the results of which are not being posted.
Winners are denoted by asterisk on the list below.
LEHIGH COUNTYAllentown
All four-year seats were up for grabs as incumbents bowed out of running again. Voters picked newcomers over two former board members – Robert E. Smith Jr. and David F. Zimmerman – who were seeking to return to the board. Smith also lost a bid for a two-year seat.
Four-year seat, choose four:
*Evette D’Amore, D – 9,764
*Cereta Johnson, D – 8,483
*Dianne L. Michels, R – 7,734
*Denzel Morris, D – 7,915
Robert E. Smith Jr., R – 4,307
Tom Houck, R – 3,438
David F. Zimmerman, R – 3,323
Two-year seat, choose one:
*Nick Nicholoff, D, incumbent – 10,831
Robert E. Smith Jr. – 4,748
East Penn
Voters picked three newcomer Democrats and gave incumbent Democrat William Whitney another term on the board. Losing his seat was Republican Michael Felegy.
Four-year seat, choose four:
*Melissa Stiavelli, D – 10,968
*Christine Price, D – 11,078
*Rita Perez, D – 9,678
*William Whitney, D, incumbent – 9,449
Michael Felegy, R, incumbent – 8,877
Paul Barbehenn, R – 8,487
Alicia Du Plooy, R – 6,895
Parkland
Parkland voters went with the Democratic slate of candidates that included Republican David Hein, the board’s vice president.
Four-year term, choose four:
*Alyssa Beckwith, D – 12,395
*Matthew Weimann, D – 11,205
*Jon Macklin, D – 10,708
*David J. Hein, R incumbent – 11,396
David Caruth, R – 8,041
George Rivera, R – 7,808
Salisbury
Two-year term, choose one:
*Rebecca A. Glenister, D, incumbent — 2,399
Laura McKelvey, R — 1,767
Southern Lehigh
Voters ousted two Republican incumbents – Christopher P. Wayock and board President Stephen R. Maund – choosing all four Democratic newcomers.
Four-year term, choose four:
*Kimberly Jaramillo, D – 4,939
*Josh Rager, D – 4,617
*Chris Sykora, D – 4,619
*Luis Melecio, D – 4,399
Christopher P. Wayock, R, incumbent – 3,852
Paul Deebel, R – 3,816
Stephen R. Maund, R, incumbent – 3,872
Whitehall-Coplay
Four-year term, choose four:
*George Williams, D, incumbent – 4,274
*William Fonzone Sr., R – 4,438
*Joseph Shields, D, incumbent – 3,695
*LoriAnn Fehnel, R – 3,561
Robert Falkenstein, R – 3,320
NORTHAMPTON COUNTYBangor Area
Incumbent Republican Ashley L. Mort did not win reelection.
Four-year term, choose four:
*Dave Denardo, R, incumbent – 3,123
*Annmarie Robertone, R – 3,053
*Thomas J. Mort, R, incumbent – 2,695
*Olivia Fraunfelter, D – 2,516
Ashley L. Mort, R incumbent – 2,377
Bethlehem Area
All four incumbent Democrats were reelected.
Four-year term, choose three:
*Shannon L. Patrick, D, incumbent – 19,048
*Michael E. Faccinetto, D, incumbent – 18,871
*Silagh White, D incumbent – 20,196
Heather L. Christein, R – 9,789
Region I, four-year term, choose one:
*Winston Alozie, D, incumbent – 4,612
Michael Kastelnik, R – 1,244
Easton Area
Region III
Democrat Edward Keegan, who lost his school board seat in 2023, will return to the board.
Four-year term, choose two:
*Meg Sayago, D, incumbent – 4,718
*Edward Keegan, D – 3,688
Shaun Jensen, R – 2,739
Nazareth Area
Incumbent Republicans Melissa Kalinoski and Kathryn Roberts lost their seats.
Region I
Four-year term, choose one:
Samantha Ondilla, D – 1,540
*Wayne R. Simpson, R incumbent – 1,882
Region II
Four-year term, choose two:
*Brandon Faust, D – 1,976
*Wendy Whiteash, R – 1,956
Melissa Kalinoski, R, incumbent – 1,824
Region III
Four-year term, choose two:
*Christine C. Stofko, D – 1,573
*Linda Gerenser Stubits, R, incumbent – 1,415
Kathryn Roberts, R, incumbent – 1,175
Northampton Area
Unofficial results show incumbent Republicans Nathan Lichtenwalner and David Vaugn losing their seats.
Region I
Four-year term, choose one:
*Douglas Vaughn, R incumbent – 2,424
Zachary Kromer, R – 2,483
Region II
Four-year term, choose two:
*Ross Makary, D – 1,830
*Frances Shehab, D – 2,308
Nathan J. Lichtenwalner, R, incumbent – 1,825
Region III
Four-year term, choose one:
*Parker Flamisch, D, incumbent – 1,932
Jamie Shankweiler Marchiano, R – 1,789
Pen Argyl Area
Region I
Four-year term, choose two:
*Thomas Knorr, D – 350
*Christopher Dubbs, D – 296
James A. Frey, R, incumbent – 415
Region I
Two-year term, choose one:
*Christopher Dubbs, D – 356
Ethan A. Habrial, R, incumbent – 373
Saucon Valley
Longtime board members Cedric Dettmar, a Republican, and Shamin Pakzad, who is unaffiliated, held onto their seats while newcomers Meghan Lomangino and Christian Tatu were elected as well.
Four-year term, choose four:
*Meghan Lomangino, D – 3,388
*Christian Tatu, D – 3,258
*Cedric Dettmar, R – 3,343
*Shamim Pakzad, unaffiliated – 3,216
J. Barrett Geyer, R – 2,553Lynn Kasper, R – 2,414
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