Today Is Primary Election Day

Today is the primary election.

Voters in South Whitehall will choose their party's three nominees for township commissioner seats and five nominees for Parkland School Board seats. They also will choose their party's nominees for state judge, Lehigh County judge and countywide positions, including Lehigh County Commissioner. 

The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.  

Lehigh County election officials are predicting a low voter turnout, possibly 15 percent of all registered voters -- or less, if there are thunderstorms today that keep more voters home.

Since Pennsylvania has a "closed" primary, voters must be registered as a Democrat or a Republican to cast a ballot in their party's race. Voters registered as Independent can only vote on ballot questions (such as Northampton County’s Gracedale nursing home question) in this election.

In the South Whitehall commissioners race, six Republicans are seeking their party's nod for three seats, making the race more competitive than usual. No Democrats are running but several candidates are seeking the Democratic nomination as a write-in candidate, which could set up a competition for the fall.

On the ballot are , former township commissioner and retired engineer; , a certified public accountant and vice chair of the township zoning board; , a member of the township planning commission and a tractor trailer mechanic; incumbent ,  former director of property services for Lehigh County; , a project management professional; and , a divisional vice president for transportation for a department store chain and an emergency medical technician.

Patch asked the township commissioner candidates six questions, on their their, and their perspective on the .

In the race for Parkland School Board, four of the six candidates running in the primary have cross-filed, which means they will appear on both the Democratic and Republican ballots. The school board candidates who will appear on both ballots are  (Republican); (Republican);  (Republican); and  (Democrat).

Also appearing on the Democratic ballot is  (no party affiliation). She plans to seek the Republican nomination as a write-in.

Also appearing on the Republican ballot is  (Republican). 

In the contentious Republican primary for Lehigh County Commissioner, eight candidates -- three of whom reside in South Whitehall -- are seeking four seats. 

The Republican candidates are , currently a South Whitehall Township commissioner; , an incumbent Lehigh County commissioner who resides in the township; , a Salisbury Township Commissioner; and , an independent insurance agent who works in South Whitehall; and four candidates who are running as a slate, namely , a producer for a web-based television network who resides in the township; , former Northampton County fiscal affairs director; , a business executive; and , a Lynn Township supervisor. 

Patch asked the Lehigh County Commissioner candidates questions on the , and .

The four Democrats seeking their party's nod for the four Lehigh County commissioner positions are Geoffrey S. Brace, Dennis L. Pearson, Gloria Hamm, and Timothy S. Waitkus. They are virtually assured their party's nomination since there is no competition for their party's nod in the primary.

Here are South Whitehall's eight poll locations:

* ., 2500 Focht Ave.

* . (fire house), 1651 Whitehall Ave.

* ., 3950 Broadway

* , 3635 Broadway

* , 768 Parkway Road

* , 1200 Springhouse Road.

* , 2200 Huckleberry Road

* , (formerly high school),  2675 PA. Route 309, Orefield.

You can check your polling place at the county website here.

Any problems at the polls contact the voter registration office at 610-782-3194.

Check back on Patch after the polls close -- and the votes are counted -- to learn who won.