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| Elections in Pennsylvania |
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The 1981 Allentown mayoral election was a municipal election to determine the mayor of Allentown, the third largest city in Pennsylvania. Incumbent first-term Republican mayor Frank Fischl would not seek re-election, with the Republicans instead running local businessman and former city councilmen Robert E. Smith Jr. against the Democratic former mayor Joseph S. Daddona.
The race gained media notoriety when local businessmen Dominic Falcone awarded $10,000 in his will for anyone who would run against former Mayor Joseph S. Daddona. Falcone died on May 12, 1981 at the age of 56, claimed to have illegally made a $1,500 donation to Daddona's failed 1969 effort for mayor. Although the allegation was disproved after the election, the scandal was one of the deciding factors in Daddona's loss by 121 votes. Falcone meanwhile was arrested in 1977 for soliciting a prostitute. [1]
There where two Democratic front runners during the election, city Controller Louis J. Hershman, and former mayor Joseph S. Daddona. [2]
Incumbent first-term Republican mayor Frank Fischl made a rather surprising announcement that he would not be seeking re-election to a second term, opening the election up to a new slate of Republican candidates despite him being popular with the city's Republican voters who attempted to convince him to run. [3] Fischl never gave an official reason for his refusal of re-election, however, The Morning Call speculated that it had to do with the difficulty of passing an amendment to the city's property tax to cover the operation cost of the city's ambulances. [3] Fischl was adamantly against increasing the property tax and bitterly feuded with both the Republicans and Democrats on the city council and if he did run for re-election it was heavily implied that the local Republican committee would refuse to endorse him and run another candidate, forcing Fischl to run as a political independent. [3] The Republicans did not have a primary, instead the Lehigh County Republican Committee formed an recruitment committee which interviewed candidates. The party chose Robert E. Smith Jr., a city councilmen and local business leader, as their candidate. [4]
Smith worked as the chairman of Robert G. Smith Inc. for over 30 years, and worked as the chairman of the Allentown Sheraton at the time of his nomination. [5] He also owned, operated and managed three restaurants throughout Allentown prior to working for Sheraton. [5] Smith also ran against Daddona in the 1970s and served on Allentown City Council from 1976-80 where he was treasurer from 1980 until 1983 and vice president of City Council from 1977-79. [5]
Daddona was the heavy favorite to win the election, despite the leadership of outgoing mayor Fischl and the qualifications of Smith. Daddona won with 15,487 votes to Smith's 8,362. The election itself was largely uneventful, except for 621 votes from the polling place at the Union Terrace School were not properly recorded due to glitches in the electronic voting machines. [6]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Joseph S. Daddona | 2,308 | 60.10% | |
| Democratic | Louis J. Hershman | 1,083 | 39.90% | |
| Total votes | 3,391 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Joseph S. Daddona | 15,487 | 64.94% | |
| Republican | Robert E. Smith Jr. | 8,362 | 35.06% | |
| Total votes | 23,849 | 100.00% | ||
| Democratic gain from Republican | ||||
One of the lingering issues from this campaign was the accusation of two Allentown police officers, Thomas Bennis and Roger MacLean, that Mayor Daddona demoted them due to their opposition to Daddona in 1981. The city, and Daddona, defended the demotions stating that they where to break up a clique of officers who harassed and intimidated other policemen in attempts to gain influence on the force. On June 6, 1983, Daddona and the city where found guilty, however, the defense argued that the prosecution and judge, Daniel Henry Huyett III made over 130 errors in the delivery of the verdict against the city, however, this did not change the opinion of the jury, who found that the city owned the pair $400,000. The issue remained contentious during Daddona's reelection effort in the 1985 Allentown mayoral election. [7] [8]
After his defeat Smith ran unsuccessfully for the 16th District of the Pennsylvania Senate against Democratic incumbent Roy Afflerbach in 1994. [5] He would also service as the Chairman, commissioner and treasurer of the Allentown Housing Authority from 1997 to 2002 as well as on the boards of several small state economic boards and offices and served as the manager for 6 different election campaigns and as a delegate to three Republican National Conventions before his death on December 12, 2002 at the age of 70. [5]
This election successfully resurrected the career of Daddona, who would go on to win the 1985 and 1989 elections, serving as mayor for three consecutive, and four overall terms, tying the record for longest serving mayor with Malcolm W. Gross at 12 years. Daddona is fondly remembered by many of the city's residents, namely among the city's Democrats, with the city's post office being renamed in his memory after he died on June 5, 2004. [9]
Concurrent to the mayoral election, there was also an election to the Allentown City Council which saw the Democrats beat the sole Republican incumbent, Guy Kratzer, creating a unanimously Democratic council, although two Republicans, Luther Robb and Peter Hance, would be temporally appointed to the council for less than a year in 1983 following vacancies. It would take until 1991 when another Republican, Lee Gaumer, would be elected to the Council. [10]
The city of Allentown, Pennsylvania was founded in 1762 as Northampton Towne by William Allen, a wealthy shipping merchant. During its first 50 years of existence, Northampton Towne was a small unincorporated settlement, consisting of a few homes, stores, and taverns.
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Frank R. Fischl Jr. was an American U.S. Air Force colonel and politician. In 1966, Fischl, an Air Force pilot with the 433rd Tactical Fighter Squadron during the Vietnam War, was awarded the Silver Star, the U.S. military's third-highest decoration for valor in combat, "for gallantry in connection with military operations" for his role in an airstrike conducted in North Vietnam on September 3, 1966. Fischl later served as the Mayor of Allentown, Pennsylvania, from 1978 until 1982.
The 1997 United States elections off-year elections were held on Tuesday, November 4, 1997, comprising 2 gubernatorial races, 3 congressional special elections, and a plethora of other local elections across the United States. No Senate special elections were held.
Roger MacLean is an American police officer and politician who was president of the Allentown, Pennsylvania City Council and served as acting Allentown mayor until March 29, 2018. MacLean became the acting mayor on March 9, 2018 following the resignation of Ed Pawlowski, who was convicted on March 1, 2018 on 47 felony charges related to a pay-to-play scheme involving his asking for campaign donations in exchange for city contracts and favors.
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.
The 2021 mayoral election in Allentown, Pennsylvania was held on November 2, 2021. The primary election was held on May 18, 2021.
Matthew Tuerk is an American politician and economic development official serving as the mayor of Allentown, Pennsylvania since January 2022. Despite entering a crowded field with low name recognition, he was the first candidate to defeat an incumbent mayor in an Allentown primary since 1973, becoming the city's first Latino mayor.
Joshua Siegel is an American politician who is a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. A member of the Democratic Party, he will represent the 22nd district, which contains parts of Allentown and Salisbury Township.
The Allentown 2019 special mayoral election was held on May 19, 2019 following the resignation of Democratic mayor Ed Pawlowski. Incumbent interim Democratic mayor Ray O'Connell defeated Republican challenger Timothy Ramos.
The 2013 mayoral election in Allentown, Pennsylvania was held on November 5, 2013, and resulted in the incumbent mayor Ed Pawlowski, a member of the Democratic Party, being re-elected to a third term over Independent candidate William Michael Donovan.
The 2005 mayoral election in Allentown, Pennsylvania was held on November 8, 2005, and resulted in the Democrat Ed Pawlowski, being elected to his first of four terms over Republican challenger and former mayor, William L Heydt.
The 2001 mayoral election in Allentown, Pennsylvania was held on November 6, 2001, and resulted in the Democrat and former state senator Roy Afflerbach, being elected over Republican challenger and businessman, Bob Lovett. Since this election there has never been a Republican mayor of Allentown.
The 1997 mayoral election in Allentown, Pennsylvania was held on November 4, 1997, and resulted in the Republican incumbent mayor William L. Heydt defeating Democratic challenger and city councilmen Martin Velazquez III. This election is remembered for its razor thin margin for the Democratic primary which saw Velazquez win by a singular vote against Emma Tropiano after a lengthy and hotly contested recount.
The 1993 Allentown mayoral election was a municipal election to determine a new mayor of Allentown, Pennsylvania. Incumbent 16-year Democratic mayor Joseph S. Daddona refused to run for re-election, retiring from politics allowing for a new slate of Democratic candidates to try and succeed him, but Republican William L. Heydt won the election to become, to date, the most recent Republican mayor of Allentown.
The 1989 Allentown mayoral election was a municipal election to determine the mayor of Allentown, Pennsylvania. Two-term Democrat mayor Joseph S. Daddona sought re-election to a third term, receiving both the Democratic and Republican nominations, but was challenged by an Independent campaign from a Democratic councilwoman Emma Tropiano.
The 1985 Allentown mayoral election was a municipal election to determine the mayor of Allentown, the third largest city in Pennsylvania. Incumbent Democratic mayor Joseph S. Daddona sought re-election to a second consecutive and third overall term and saw a challenge from Republican salesman and activist Charles J. “Chuck” Theisen.
