STATE COLLEGE — More than 19,700 Penn State alumni have cast ballots in the election for three seats open on the university’s board of trustees.

An unprecedented 86 candidates are running for the seats in the first election since the board ousted the late Joe Paterno as head football coach in November in the aftermath of child sexual abuse charges against his ex-assistant Jerry Sandusky.

Paterno’s departure after 46 seasons angered some former players, alumni and particularly alumni watchdog groups who see the election as a vehicle for change.

An election voting website containing the ballot and candidate biographies opened April 10, and voting lasts until May 3. Results are scheduled to be announced at a trustees meeting the next day.

All alumni — more than 550,000 strong — are eligible to vote.

“While not unprecedented, this speaks to the heightened level of interest in the election this year,” the trustees office said about turnout in an e-mail Thursday to the candidates.

The number of ballots cast has already surpassed last year’s vote total, when fewer than 12,000 alumni voted. Alumni association executive director Roger Williams has said he expects record turnout.