Three newcomers and the current board president are in the lead in Lehighton Area School District following Tuesday’s release of unofficial general election results from the Carbon County Election Office.

Timothy Tkach, who cross-filed on both Democratic and Republican ballots, led the field with 3,000 votes, followed by Lory Frey, also cross-filed, with 2,785. Alex Matika, running as a Democrat, received 2,364 votes, and Joy Beers, the current board president and a Republican, finished with 2,298.

Republican Duane A. Dellecker, an incumbent director, had 2,212 votes, and Democrat Kasara B. Weinrich earned 2,106, seemingly falling short of the cutoff for a four-year seat.

There were 1,688 unresolved write-in votes, which will be reviewed before the results are certified.

For the district’s lone two-year seat, William Howland, a local dentist who appeared on both party lines and ran unopposed, received 3,273 votes, with 631 write-ins.

Tkach, a longtime educator and former Lehighton assistant to the superintendent, entered the political arena after retiring from public education in 2022.

Frey, a 1978 Lehighton graduate, is a former district employee with more than 30 years in the school system.

A 2010 Lehighton graduate, Matika is a local physician specializing in infectious diseases.

Beers looks to be headed for a third term. She has served most recently as board president.

The newly elected board members will take their seats in December.