By early afternoon on Nov. 5, Election day was in full swing and although thousands voted early or by mail, thousands more were out casting ballots at polling places around Wareham.

Many voters who arrived in-person to the polls brought signs and strong opinions on the candidates and ballot questions.

“This is the last election if it doesn’t go right,” said Anne-Marie Barber, while holding a Donald Trump sign.

“Republicans are nasty, they’ll do anything they can to demonize the opposition,” said Jeff Bollen, while holding a sign for Democratic state representative candidate Sarah Hewins. “They’re trying to make Kamala look like a horrible person.”

The five ballot questions posed to voters generated differing opinions from Wareham voters with the questions on eliminating the MCAS test as a requirement for high school graduation and changing the way tipped workers are paid creating the most controversy.

Dan Sullivan, the Republican challenger to Democratic U.S. Rep. Bill Keating said he opposed eliminating the MCAS graduation requirement and drew a connection between the testing requirements and Massachusetts’ “migrant crisis.”

Sullivan said cities and towns “overburdened with illegal migrants” would see lower MCAS scores.

“That could affect their funding and accreditation,” Sullivan said while standing with supporters in front of Town Hall Election Day.

While holding signs for Trump outside of the Hammond School polls, Gerry Cardillo described a different connection between MCAS and migrants.

“They’re trying to do that for one reason, so all the illegals coming into this country can get into the colleges and everything else without meeting the standards,” Cardillo said.

David McCarthy, a teacher at Old Rochester Regional High School in Mattapoisett, said he’s “dead set” against requiring MCAS to graduate.

“Too much emphasis is being placed on a standardized test which doesn’t really accurately assess what the kids know,” McCarthy said. “We ought to have high standards, Massachusetts is number one in the country when it comes to its educational prowess but we don’t need MCAS as a graduation requirement.”

McCarthy said most of his colleagues share his opinion on MCAS.

Peter Johnston taught at Massasoit Community College and said MCAS does not prepare students for college.

“Let teachers drive the curriculum,” Johnston said. “Let that be a conversation between college faculty and high school faculty. So high school teachers know what’s going to be expected of students at the next level.”

Wareham voters accounted for the vocal opposition from restaurant employees to change the wage structure for tipped workers, but many came to different conclusions on Question 5.

“I know what that’s about,” Sullivan said. “That’s about more taxable income. They don't want the funny money going under the table.”

Marese Barry-Belanger said her son works in the restaurant industry and she believes tipped workers should receive minimum wage.

Voters from all sides described the election with words like “intense” and “full of angst.”

Carrie Snidarich, wearing a Trump sweater and earrings said people are “finally waking up.”

“You don’t elect a person, you elect his policies,” Snidarich said. “We were much better off four years ago.”

Bollen said he hopes voters view Kamala Harris's campaign as more positive.

“I think people are hopefully sick of the negativity, they’re sick of the gaslighting, they’re sick of the name calling,” Bollen said.