BETHEL — While the students of Crescent Park Elementary enjoyed a day off, the adults of Bethel and Mason Township filled the school gym to cast their votes on Tuesday.

Bethel Town Clerk Christen Mason said voter turnout was busy, as expected, with about 1,200 residents having cast their votes as of 3 p.m. Mason said the last presidential election yielded 1,600 votes in total.

Merrie Ojeda, Spanish teacher at Telstar High School and election staff volunteer, said she’s discouraged with the tone of this election cycle.

“There’s been a lot of lies going on from both sides, one worse than the other . . . but it will be what it will be and life will go on, no matter what,” said Ojeda.

Bethel resident Jeff Martin said he’s also discouraged with this election, particularly with his own affiliated party.

“Basically I wish the Republicans would get their act together and get back to the fundamentals that made the party great in the past. Right now the party is a mess and has turned a lot of Republicans off. We need to get back to the core values,” said Martin.

emeisner@sunmediagroup.net