User:Arms & Hearts/2017 Allentown mayoral election

The 2017 mayoral election in Allentown, Pennsylvania was held on November 7, 2017, and resulted in the incumbent mayor Ed Pawlowski, a member of the Democratic Party being re-elected to a fourth term over Republican Party candidate Nat Hyman.

Background
Pawlowski had been mayor since 2006.

Campaign
The Republican nominee was Nat Hyman, a jeweler and real estate developer. Hyman was the first Republican candidate to make an Allentown mayoral election competitive in a decade. Common Sense Independent Party candidate John Richard Ingram, also a real estate developer; Solomon Tembo, the candidate of the King Solomon Tembo party; and Ray O'Connell, the president of the Allentown City Council, also ran as a write-in candidate. O'Connell; Siobhan "Sam" Bennett, a bed and breakfast owner; Lehigh County Commissioner David Jones; Joshua Siegel; Charlie Thiel, a member of the Allentown school board; and Nathan Woodring also sought the Democratic Party nomination. Luiz Garcia also sought the Republican nomination.

No debates were held during the election; instead the candidates engaged in retail politics. Pawlowski worked to increase turnout among Allentown's Hispanic and Syrian populations.

In July 2017 Pawlowski was the subject of a 54-count indictment that alleged that he conspired to provide municipal contracts in return for campaign contributions, dinners and tickets to sports events.

Results

 * Democratic Party primary
 * Ed Pawlowski – 1,702 (28.20%)
 * Ray O'Connell – 1,377 (22.82%)
 * Charles F. Thiel – 1,333 (22.09%)
 * Siobhan Bennett – 719 (11.91%)
 * David Jones – 575 (9.53%)
 * Joshua Siegel – 295 (4.89%)
 * Nathan L. Woodring – 34 (0.56%)


 * Republican Party primary
 * Nat Hyman – 1,464 (68.32%)
 * Luiz Garcia – 679 (31.68%)


 * General election
 * Ed Pawlowski (Democratic Party) – 4,758 (39.37%)
 * Nat Hyman (Republican Party) – 4,440 (36.74%)
 * John Richard Ingram (Common Sense Independent Party) – 489 (4.05%)
 * Solomon Tembo (King Solomon Tembo) – 200 (1.65%)
 * Write-in candidates – 2,199 (18.19%)

Aftermath
Pawlowski resigned in March 2018 following his conviction on corruption charges. The City Council selected O'Connell to succeed Pawlowski later that month.