Dems lead in race for four Allentown City Council seats

Three incumbents and a Democratic challenger held leads over the lone Republican in the race for four Allentown City Council seats about two hours after polls closed Tuesday.

Cynthia Mota, Daryl Hendricks and Ed Zucal, each a Democratic incumbent, held comfortable leads over Republican Tom Houck. Natalie Santos, a 21-year-old college student who won a surprise victory in the Democratic primary, led by a narrower margin of about 18% to Houck’s 15%.

The incumbents, all Democrats, are Hendricks, running for his third term; Council Vice President Mota, also running for her third full term; and Zucal, running for his second term. Council members serve fouryear terms.

Mota, 47, was appointed to council in 2012, elected in 2013 and reelected in 2017. She is running for her third full term. Born in the Dominican Republic,

she came to the United States as a 7-year-old and grew up in Allentown, graduating from Dieruff High School. She runs a small business called CM Centro Multiservices, which provides immigration, notary and translation services. She’s also executive director of Light on the Horizon, a new community nonprofit combating generational poverty.

Hendricks, 68, retired as a captain from the Allentown Police Department in 2013 after 36 years of service. He was elected to his first term as a council member the same year. Hendricks said he first ran to stay involved in city government. He is running for his third term.

Zucal, 63, retired as a sergeant from the Allentown Police Department in 2016 after 25 years of service. He also serves as a part-time deputy in the Lehigh County coroner’s office and works as a security guard for Allentown School District elementary schools. He won his first term as a council member in 2017. Zucal said he ran for council because he wanted to help the city and its residents.

Santos, 21, is a Kutztown University student studying psychology and Spanish. A New York native, Santos has lived in Allentown for 10 years. She said the Black Lives Matter protests in the wake of George Floyd’s murder by a Minneapolis police officer inspired her to run for office. Santos said she has always had an interest in social justice issues and hopes to improve Allentown by supporting initiatives that are in the best interest of the community.

Houck, 63, retired from the Allentown Police Department with the rank of shift lieutenant after 25 years and continued working in security and law enforcement as a federal civilian police officer for another 12 years. Houck also served in the Air Force and Air Force Reserve for 30 years.