Lower Saucon Township resident Lori Vargo Heffner was one of several newcomers to unseat several incumbents on Northampton County Council in Tuesday’s election, winning an at-large seat on the nine-member governing body.
Northampton County councilor-elect Lori Vargo Heffner
Heffner, 56, was the third-highest vote-getter among the five candidates who prevailed out of a field of 10; a field that included four incumbents, only one of whom was able to retain her seat.
According to unofficial results from the county’s Office of Voter Registration, the vote totals were as follows (winners are in boldface):
Ronald R. Heckman (D) – 21,710 (11.05 percent)
Tara M. Zrinski (D) – 21,623 (11.00 percent)
Lori Vargo Heffner (D) – 21,074 (10.72 percent)
William McGee (D) – 20,896 (10.63 percent)
Peg Ferraro (I-R) – 20,638 (10.50 percent)
Peter Melan (D) – 20,335 (10.35 percent)
Hayden Phillips (I-R) – 18,414 (9.37 percent)
Glenn Geissinger (I-R) – 17,943 (9.13 percent)
Seth Vaughn (I-R) – 17,728 (9.02 percent)
Ron Angle (R) – 16,038 (8.16 percent)
Heffner is a psychotherapist at Affiliates in Clinical Services in Phillipsburg, N.J.
In response to the Northampton County League of Women Voters’ pre-election questionnaire, Heffner said she will work to help preserve open space and find untapped funding sources in the county.
“I believe that good government is transparent, efficient and effective,” she said. “I bring good energy and an ability to listen to needs, opinions and use information to solve problems. I will serve the people of Northampton County by preserving farmland and open space, filling gaps in the health and human services to meet their needs, and not raise taxes. There are many funding sources that are untapped that would diminish the need to burden taxpayers.”
On her campaign Facebook page Wednesday, Heffner posted the following post-victory statement: “So grateful for your support! Love my family, my friends, my teammates, my neighbors, my work family, my theatre moms, NCCDW (Northampton County Council of Democratic Women), PFDW (Pennsylvania Federation of Democratic Women), Lehigh Valley for All, my Union brothers and sisters, NCDC (Northampton County Democratic Committee), EADC (Easton Area Democratic Committee), Bethlehem City Dems and all the voters who believed we can! Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.”
