Rather than turning people away from politics, the contentious battles of the past four years appear locally to have drawn many to the polls.
The number of people registered to vote has jumped 14 percent in Dutchess and 15 percent in Putnam since 2016, according to data released on Oct. 19 by the Board of Elections in each county.
Democrats led the charge, with an increase of 25 percent in Dutchess, 23 percent in Beacon, 22 percent in Putnam and 36 percent in Philipstown.
Republican registrations jumped 11 percent in Putnam and 7 percent in Dutchess. They were flat in Philipstown at 1 percent and fell by 7 percent in Beacon.
The percentage of independent voters, or those with no party registration, grew by 11 percent in Dutchess and 16 percent in Putnam but only 6 percent in Philipstown and 3 percent in Beacon.
The figures below do not include registered voters who have not cast a ballot in the last two federal elections.
