Today, April 3, is primary election day in Maryland. Voters in our area and across the state will have the chance to make their voices heard as the field of candidates is narrowed ahead of the November general election.

Tuesday's main event is the hotly-contested race for the Republican presidential nomination, but voters from both parties will also be called on to select nominees for the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives, and other state and local offices.

VOTER INFORMATION

The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. You must be registered to vote in order to cast a ballot. If you're not sure about your status, check the state's verify voter information page (and be sure you're registered by Oct. 16 to participate in the general election).

Likewise, if you don't know what your assigned polling place is, consult the Maryland Elections Center voter information database or call 301-430-8020.

POLLING LOCATIONS

Residents of University Park, Riverdale Park, East Riverdale, and surrounding communities vote at several different locations depending which precinct they live in (see a map). Polling places include:

CANDIDATES

Below is a rundown of candidates on local ballots. (Note: your ballot will only feature one U.S. House race and may or may not include a Board of Education race, depending on your district.) Incumbents are denoted by an asterisk.

President of the United States

• Democratic: Barack Obama*
• Republican: Newt Gingrich, Jon Huntsman, Fred Karger, Ron Paul, Rick Perry, Buddy Roemer, Mitt Romney, and Rick Santorum

U.S. Senator

• Democratic: Raymond Levi Blagmon, Ben Cardin*, J.P. Cusick, Chris Garner, Ralph Jaffe, C. Anthony Muse, Blaine Taylor, Ed Tinus, Lih Young
• Republican: Joseph Alexander, Daniel John Bongino, Robert "BRO" Broadus, William Thomas Capps Jr., Richard J. Douglas, Rick Hoover, David Jones, John B. Kimble, Brian Vaeth, Corrogan R. Vaughn

U.S. Representative, Congressional District 4

• Democratic: Donna F. Edwards*, Ian Garner, George McDermott
• Republican: Randy Gearhart, Greg Holmes, Faith M. Loudon, Charles Shepherd

U.S. Representative, Congressional District 5

• Democratic: Steny H. Hoyer*, Cathy Johnson Pendleton
• Republican: David Hill, Glenn Morton, Tony O'Donnell

Judge of the Circuit Court, Circuit 7

• Krystal Alves*, DaNeeka Varner Cotton*, John P. Davey*, Hassan A. El-Amin*, Sherrie L. Krauser*

Board of Education, District 4

• Patricia Eubanks*, Joseph Kitchen, Dennis Smith, Sandy J. Vaughns, Micah Watson