Slow trickle of voters head to polls on Primary Election Day in Howard

May 14—Much like the rain outside Tuesday, a slow trickle of voters visited polling sites on Primary Election Day in Howard County.

At Phelps Luck Elementary School in Columbia, voters were met by a sea of brightly colored campaign signs as they went in to cast their vote.

Thomas Powers, 35, of Columbia, said he is a regular voter. A Republican, he voted for Donald Trump for president in the primary because he is concerned about where the country is heading under the Biden administration.

"The direction of the country's been trending downhill, and I'd like to at least get back to where we were, if not better," Powers said. "Better would be better, but better than now would be best."

Luther Lighty, 51, of Columbia, a Democrat voted for President Joe Biden, as well as Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks for U.S. Senate, and Del. Terri Hill, who is running for re-election.

"When I see there's an agenda from a Democratic president, I try to make sure that all the down-ballot candidates are in line so we have a better chance of getting legislation through," Lighty said. "With a divided Congress and a different president, it's really tough to get that done."

At Howard High School, in Ellicott City, voters were greeted by cheerful campaign volunteers in brightly colored T-shirts as they went in to cast their vote.

Rick Kohn, 61, of Thunder Hill, a Democrat, said his main concern is foreign policy.

"We spend so much money and do so much destruction around the world as our priority, while we should be cooperating and making the world economy better to help fight climate change and poverty," Kohn said. "Instead the focus is on building U.S. corporations and public control of pretty much every country in the world."

Elizabeth Ndiritu, 52, of Columbia, took her 18-year-old daughter to the polls to cast her first vote on Election Day.

Ndiritu said she is a regular voter, and she wanted to set an example for her daughter.

"As I told [my daughter], every vote counts, and if you don't vote, you can't complain, and if [your candidate] loses, at least you voted," she said.

Polling locations are open through 8 p.m., today. To find your nearest polling location, visit howardcountymd.gov.