Incumbent interim Democratic mayor Ray O'Connell defeated Republican challenger Timothy Ramos.

[1] During the 2017 Allentown mayoral election, three-term mayor Ed Pawlowski was indicted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and faced fifty-four charges, including multiple counts of conspiracy, bribery, attempted extortion, making false statements to federal officials, mail fraud, and wire fraud with some charges dating as far back as 2012.

[3] He narrowly won the election, 39.37% to his Republican challenger's 36.74% with write in votes for city councilman Ray O'Connell reaching roughly 18%.

Forced to resign as mayor on March 9, 2018, he was sentenced to twenty years in federal prison.

There were four Democratic candidates:[7] Interim mayor O'Connell successfully defeated his three primary challengers, gaining 53% of the vote and advancing to the general election.