Allentown City Council has elected Ray O'Connell mayor of the city.

Council was tasked with selecting a replacement for Mayor Ed Pawlowski who resigned on March 9.  The city's Home Rule Charter required that Pawlowski's replacement be a city resident and of the same political party. Pawlowski is a Democrat.

O'Connell, a former two-term councilperson and three year president of council, last night earned a majority four votes to serve as mayor from councilpersons Julio Guridy, Daryl Hendricks, Cynthia Mota and Ed Zucal on the 12th ballot.

O'Connell will serve until January 2020.  An election will be held in November 2019 for city voters to choose a candidate who will serve out the final two years of Pawlowski's unexpired four year term.

The 68-year-old O'Connell is a retired Allentown School District teacher and administrator, serving as principal of Trexler Middle School from 1982-2001 before moving into the central office where he served as executive director of secondary education.

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