| Election Name: | 2017 Allentown mayoral election |
| Country: | Allentown, Pennsylvania |
| Flag Image: | Flag of Allentown Pennsylvania.gif |
| Type: | presidential |
| Vote Type: | Popular |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2013 Allentown mayoral election |
| Previous Year: | 2013 |
| Next Election: | 2019 Allentown mayoral special election |
| Next Year: | 2019 (special) |
| Image1: | Ed Pawlowski Allentown Mayor.jpg |
| Candidate1: | Ed Pawlowski |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 4,758 |
| Percentage1: | 39.37% |
| Candidate2: | Nat Hyman |
| Party2: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote2: | 4,440 |
| Percentage2: | 36.74% |
| Map Size: | 260px |
| Mayor | |
| Before Election: | Ed Pawlowski |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Ed Pawlowski |
| After Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
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.[1] [2] [3]
Pawlowski was seeking his fourth term as Mayor, having been first elected in 2005.[1]
The Republican nominee was Nat Hyman, a jeweler and real estate developer.[4] Hyman was the first Republican candidate to make an Allentown mayoral election competitive in a decade.[1] Common Sense Independent Party candidate John Richard Ingram, also a real estate developer, and Solomon Tembo, the candidate of the King Solomon Tembo party, were also on the ballot.[4] Ray O'Connell, the president of the Allentown City Council, also ran as a write-in candidate.[4] [5] O'Connell; Siobhan "Sam" Bennett, who had been upset in the 2005 and the 2001 democratic primaries; 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.[6] [7] Luiz Garcia also sought the Republican nomination.[7]
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.[8]
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.[1]
Pawlowski resigned in March 2018 following his conviction on corruption charges.[9] The City Council selected O'Connell to succeed Pawlowski later that month.[10]