SMETHPORT — About 420 people have registered to vote in McKean County since the May primary election, according to information from the county’s department of elections.
According to Lisa Pratt, director of elections, between May 21 and Monday — the last day to register before the Nov. 5 general election — about 120 people registered as Democrats and about 200 registered Republican. She did not say for what party the remaining voters had registered.
Pratt said countywide, there are currently 23,602 registered voters, with 6,448 Democrats and 13,880 Republicans.
There will be some changes coming to precincts this fall.
McKean County polling locations will be equipped with new voting machines, though Pratt said they are quite similar to the old ones, so voters won’t see that much of a change. The new machines will tabulate votes electronically, as did previous machines, but will also produce a paper ballot, creating a paper trail if needed.
Pratt has not received any concerns about the new voting machines, though she recently received a request for a public demonstration.
“We are doing a demo at the Eldred Borough Fire Hall at 2 p.m. Oct. 13 at the request of one of the poll workers to show the public how the machines function,” she said.
The county’s machines are model ES&S iVotronic, and a demonstration of them can be seen on the votes.pa.com webpage under “new voting machines.”
Oct. 29 is the last day to apply for a civilian absentee ballot for the November election.
Offices on the ballot include two Superior Court vacancies and three retentions; in Commonwealth Court, two retentions; McKean County Court of Common Pleas, one retention; countywide, commissioners, recorder of deeds, register of wills, district attorney, coroner and treasurer. In the City of Bradford, the seats of mayor, treasurer and one council person are up for election. In municipal and school districts, mayors, borough council, township supervisors, auditors and school directors will be up for election as well.
Those voting for the first time in a new precinct are required to show a form of identification.
Anyone wishing to have instruction on the voting machines should contact the county election office prior to Nov. 5.
