East Texas, Pennsylvania Public Records

Pennsylvania residents can register online through the Pennsylvania Department of State at https://www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/pages/VoterRegistrationApplication.aspx; the deadline is 15 days before any election. Voters must provide a Pennsylvania driver's license or PennDOT ID card number, or the last four digits of their Social Security number. First-time voters who register by mail must provide identification when voting for the first time, acceptable ID includes photo ID, non-photo ID showing name and address, or confirmation from the county voter registration office. As an unincorporated community, East Texas doesn't hold separate municipal elections for mayor or city council. Residents instead vote in Heidelberg Township elections for Township Supervisors (typically three members serving six-year staggered terms), Tax Collector, and Auditor positions. Township elections occur in odd-numbered years during the municipal primary (May) and general election (November). The next township elections will be held in May and November 2025. Voters here also participate in elections for Lehigh County offices including County Executive, County Commissioners, County Controller, and Row Officers (Sheriff, Clerk of Judicial Records, Register of Wills, Recorder of Deeds), which are contested in odd-numbered years. Voters can locate their specific polling place using the polling place locator at https://www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/pages/pollingplaceinfo.aspx or by contacting the Lehigh County office. Polling places are assigned based on precinct boundaries within Heidelberg Township. Pennsylvania law makes extensive election records publicly accessible. Voter registration lists can be purchased from the county for legitimate purposes; individual voter registration status is searchable online. Campaign finance reports for state and county candidates are available through the Pennsylvania Department of State's campaign finance system at https://www.campaignfinanceonline.pa.gov. Precinct-level election results are published by the county after certification at https://www.lehighcounty.org/Departments/Voter-Registration/Election-Results. In the November 2024 presidential election, Lehigh County reported approximately 65% voter turnout, with roughly 195,000 ballots cast from approximately 250,000 registered voters. The county saw competitive results reflecting Pennsylvania's swing-state status. Looking ahead to November 3, 2026 (the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November), voters in the area will decide several significant races. Pennsylvania will elect a U.S. Senator (Class III seat currently held by John Fetterman is not up until 2028; the Class I seat is up in 2026), Pennsylvania Governor (the gubernatorial term runs 2023-2027, so Governor Josh Shapiro's seat is not up in 2026), all 203 Pennsylvania House of Representatives seats, and approximately half of the 50 Pennsylvania State Senate seats (even-numbered districts in 2026). East Texas residents vote for state legislative seats representing their district. County-level offices on the 2026 ballot may include County Controller and certain Row Office positions depending on term expirations. School board positions for Northwestern Lehigh School District will also appear on the ballot. Pennsylvania offers no-excuse mail-in voting and absentee ballots. Any registered voter can request a mail-in ballot without providing a reason. Applications can be submitted online at https://www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/OnlineAbsenteeApplication, by mail, or in person at the Lehigh County Voter Registration Office. The deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot is 5:00 PM the Tuesday before Election Day (seven days prior). Completed mail-in ballots must be received by the Lehigh County office by 8:00 PM on Election Day; postmarks do not count. Voters can also request annual mail-in ballot applications to automatically receive applications for every election in a calendar year. Ballot tracking is available through the state's system, allowing voters to confirm their ballot was received and counted.