A large number of write-in votes could alter who is in the lead for seats on the Northern Lehigh School Board.

Based on voting in Tuesday’s general election, three incumbents appeared to have retained their seats on the board.

In Lehigh County, Director Michelle Heckman was the top vote-getter with 1,127 votes, followed by both board President Gary Fedorcha and Director Robert Keegan Jr., who finished with 1,026 votes.

Heckman was also the top vote-getter in Northampton County with 238 votes, followed by Fedorcha with 218 and Keegan at 202.

However, there were over 3,000 write-in votes turned in by several other candidates, including 2,836 in Lehigh County, and 233 in Northampton County.

Those who campaigned and received write-in votes were incumbent Director Michele Martineau - who didn’t get on the ballot - along with residents Justin Jachowicz, Chad Christman, Angela Williams and Eric King.

Contacted this morning, Tim Benyo, chief clerk of the Lehigh County Election Board, said there are four openings.

“The Computation Board meets the Friday following the Tuesday of the election,” Benyo said. “So at 9 a.m. tomorrow, we’ll convene with the Computation Board and start looking at provisional ballots and write-ins and the votes cast by mail ballots, and will be looking at all of that, making sure we have all of that contained.”

Benyo explained what that means specifically for the district, for which there were 2,836 write-in votes in Lehigh County.

“I will have to go through those write-ins and make sure that each ballot only votes once for the same person,” he said. “Until I investigate that, I won’t know.”

Benyo said the process could take at least another week until it’s known.