If voter registration is any indication, voter apathy shouldn’t be a factor in the upcoming general election.

On Wednesday, elections directors in McKean and Potter counties said there have been a number of voters registering for both parties, and a higher-than-usual number of absentee ballots requested.

“We have had more interest, I think, than normal for this election,” said Dinah Gallegos, director of elections for McKean County. “We have definitely had more absentee ballots” than the last time the governor’s race was on the ballot in 2014.

She said people have until the 30th to request an absentee ballot, and the voted ballot has to be back in the office by Nov. 2.

“For this election, as of right now, we’re at 305,” Gallegos said. “The last time the governor was on the ballot, in 2014, there were 269 issued.”

Other directors around the state have seen similar numbers, she added.

Sandra Lewis, elections director for Potter County, agreed.

“As of today we have sent out 181 absentee ballots,” she said. “In the May primary we sent out 71 absentee ballots and in the November 2014 election we sent out 174 absentee ballots. We are certainly higher in the mailing of absentees.”

Both directors gave numbers on registered voters as well. In McKean County, there are 23,860 total registered voters, of which 13,792 are Republicans and 6,712 are Democrats.

Since the primary, 163 people have registered as Republicans, 111 have registered as Democrats and 209 have switched political parties, Gallegos reported.

In Potter County, there are 10,723 registered voters, of which 7,039 are Republican and 2,560 are Democrats. Since the primary, there are 33 fewer Democrats and 93 more Republicans, according to numbers provided by Lewis. Since November 2014, there are 456 fewer Democrats registered in Potter County, and 523 more registered Republicans.