WATCH: Primary Voters Trickle into Polling Places

The Howard County Board of Education race is perhaps the most important race on the primary ballot for local residents, and Patch spoke to several voters, electioneers and candidates at  and  in Columbia.

For other voters, however, this election was about just one race: the Republican presidential primary.

"I don't hardly know anything about these people," Ellicott City resident Gary Schlee, a registered Republican, said of the candidates in the other races. Maryland's primaries are closed, meaning only Republicans can vote on partisan ballots. 

After voting at the , Schlee said that his most important vote cast was for the presidential primary. "My top guy is Romney. That's about it."

That was as far as his enthusiasm went. "Where's a Ronald Reagan when you need him?" he responded when asked what he thought of the nominees in general. 

Gina Schlee said that she was also interested in the Circuit Court judgeship. "We like [Judge Lenore] Gelfman, too."

Gelfman's daughter, Victoria Gelfman, and Valerie Conn held signs outside of  promoting Judges Gelfman and William Tucker.

"The Circuit Court deals with really serious matters," Victoria Gelfman said. "People's lives, family issues crime -- people facing serious jail time. You need people with experience."

At about 11 a.m., Conn said she had seen a steady stream of people turn out to vote. "We're not super swamped," she said "but steady."

Polls will remain open until 8 p.m. Find your polling place online.

Did you vote today? Is voting in the primary election important? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.