Apparently, lots of voters had something to get off their chests Monday.

Setting a Bexar County record for the first day of early voting in a presidential election, 35,431 local residents weighed in on the presidential race and other contests.

In a process marred by occasional confrontations at polling sites, turnout here surpassed the high mark for a first day of 30,087 set in 2012, the year President Barack Obama was re-elected. Dallas and Tarrant counties also reported record first-day turnouts.

Monday’s figure didn’t approach the single-day record of 45,375, set on the last day of early voting in 2012, but it brought a measure of glee to election officials.

“It’s been a long time since Bexar County has seen voting like this,” Elections Administrator Jacque Callanen said. “That part is really exciting for us.”

There were the usual glitches, including disputes over voter registrations and identification requirements, and complaints about inaccurate voting information, lack of parking, and long, slow lines.

And there were some unusual scenes: A sheriff’s bomb-detection squad was called to Las Palmas Branch Library after a voter ranted about an impending terrorist attack. And deputies were dispatched to two other polling sites to respond to complaints about “emotional, high-stressed” voters who were confrontational, Callanen said.

The turnout started strong at several sites, such as the North Side’s Brookhollow Library and the Wonderland Mall of the Americas on the Northwest Side. Waits of two hours or more were reported throughout the day as lines grew to more than 200 voters at some locations.

Lighter voter traffic was recorded at some of the suburban polls and at new early voting sites on college campuses.

At several locations, observers used social media to point out problems, including questionable instructions to voters from poll workers and outdated signs pertaining to photo ID requirements. The signs drawing complaints were an old version of information from the Texas secretary of state that included accepted forms of photo ID but did not include court-mandated information about alternative documents, such as bank statements, that can be used to verify identity.

At some polls, workers were berated by voters for the slow pace of operations or when the workers called out voters for violating the Texas Election Code by wearing campaign T-shirts in line.

Outside Castle Hills City Hall, voters reported being insulted by a middle-age Anglo man in the line who spewed derogatory comments about Hillary Clinton, Latinos and others for nearly half an hour.

“He started getting louder and louder, throwing racial slurs about Hispanics” and using a vulgar term to describe Clinton — the “c” word, voter James Gaines said.

When Gaines asked the man to be more sensitive to the women in line, “He said, ‘If you don’t like it, you can go (expletive) yourself. I’m an American, I can say what I want. If you want to go into the woods and fight it out, I’ll kick your butt,’” Gaines recounted.

When a Latino voter in line verbally chastised the man, he responded, “‘Why don’t you eat a taco and go back to Mexico?’” Gaines said.

Gaines said he wanted to de-escalate the situation, so he didn’t alert election officials.

“This person was becoming visibly agitated, glaring at people, calling them names, threatening them physically. I thought if I did anything, especially in front of him, it could get someone hurt,” Gaines said.

Callanen urged the public to report such incidents to poll officials.

“They have to bring it to the election officials’ attention right then and there,” she said.

The 12 days of early voting continue through Nov. 4 at 43 locations in Bexar County. Those seeking to vote by mail, including the elderly and disabled, have until Friday to request a mail ballot, which must be returned by Election Day.

jgonzalez@express-news.net

Twitter: @johnwgonzalez