Howard County elections officials said early voting at the Miller Branch Library in advance of Maryland's April 26 primary got off to a strong start Thursday morning, with a line of about 30 people out the door.

“The closer to 10 a.m. we got, the longer the line got,” said Christina Brown, who traveled from her home in Easton to work at the Ellicott City early-voting site.

“I normally help out in Caroline County, but they needed some extra help over here,” she said.

“It's steady for a primary election,” said Howard County Board of Elections Director Guy Mickley, who was stationed at the Bain Center on Thursday. “There's a little more turnout initially than I would've expected for a primary election, but otherwise, it's going smoothly.”

Early voting runs through April 21. Residents can vote at the Miller Branch Library at 9421 Frederick Road in Ellicott City; the Bain Senior Center, 5470 Ruth Keeton Way in Columbia; or Ridgely's Run Community Center, 8400 Mission Road in Jessup. Each center will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., including Saturday and Sunday.

Lois Hunter of Ellicott City said she and her husband, who are both retired, wanted to vote early, “to get it over with,” she said.

Hunter, who is registered as an independent, was not able to vote in the Republican or Democratic primaries. She came to vote because of the Howard County Board of Education election, which is a nonpartisan race.

“That's where your vote has the most kick, really,” she said.

Eleven candidates are running in the primary for six spots in the general election and three seats on the school board.

Several candidates were campaigning outside the Miller Branch and the Bain Center on Thursday morning. School board candidate Mavis Ellis, a longtime public educator, spoke to voters outside the Bain Center.

“I think it's been a great turnout,” she said. “It's a great day to have people voting. People have been agreeable to a large extent to talk about the issues. I've had some long conversations with people.”

The Howard County primary ballot also contains choices for the Republican and Democratic presidential and Senate races, and for the delegates to both parties' conventions.

Peggy Parsons of Ellicott City said she came to vote at the Miller Branch “for the president, of course.”

“I don't even tell my husband or children who I'm voting for,” she said. “So they have to guess.”

Parsons, who has worked at Howard County General Hospital for 40 years, voted early because she has to work April 26.

“I wanted to dash right over here and get it done,” she said.

Bill Adams of Ellicott City voted early at the Bain Senior Center in the Democratic primary. He said that he is supporting Rep. Chris Van Hollen in the U.S. Senate race because “I think he's been real effective.”

About the presidential race, he said, “I am a Bernie [Sanders] person. I definitely feel the ‘Bern.'?”

New to early voting this year is same-day registration for eligible residents, and voters who are already registered can make address changes. Mickley said the Bain Center had handled five same-day registrations and address changes by noon Thursday.

“We are doing well with it. It's a new process, but we are on top of it,” Mickley said. “I think it's great for the voters. If they haven't registered up to this point, they can walk in and register to vote. I think it is a good thing for the state of Maryland.”

Anyone who wants to register to vote during the early-voting period must have a document proving state residency, such as a driver's license, Motor Vehicle Administration-issued identification card or change-of-address card. Paychecks, bank statements, utility bills or other government documents with the resident's name and current address will also be accepted.

Registered voters can also make changes to their address, officials said, by bringing the documents to an early-voting center.

Same-day registration or address changes are only available during early voting.

For additional information, go to elections.maryland.gov/voting/early_voting.html. Voters can also contact the State Board of Elections at 1-800-222-8683, or through elections.maryland.gov

Baltimore Sun Media Group reporter Lisa Philip contributed to this article.