Voters were lined up at the Logan County Courthouse this morning to cast their early votes in the special gubernatorial primary election.

Delegate Rupert "Rupie" Phillips (D-Logan) was first to arrive at the courthouse at 7:30 a.m. to cast his vote in the governor's race an hour later.

Two others lined up behind Phillips to cast their early votes.

"I'm going to be the first to cast my vote," Phillips said.

Logan County Clerk John Turner was on hand to assist with the early voting. He said he was pleased that people were lined up on the first day waiting to cast their early votes.

The primary election is set for May 14. Early voting runs through May 11 and voters can even cast their votes on Saturdays. Polls will be open on May 14 from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. The general election will be held on October 4.

Turner said voters can cast their early votes at the Logan County Courthouse starting at 8:30 a.m. today. Turner said voters can vote early on both Saturdays.

"They can vote Saturday and then all next week, including next Saturday, and then three days the next week," Turner said. "Early voting is 11 days total and ends on Wednesday, May 11."

The Secretary of State’s office said Monday is the deadline to register to vote in the primary election.

The special general election to fill the remainder of former Gov. Joe Manchin’s term is Oct. 4.

Manchin was elected to the U.S. Senate last year to fill out the remainder of the late U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd's unfinished term and Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin has been serving as governor since November of 2010.

Turner said he doesn't expect a big, statewide turnout for the special election.

"When Joe Manchin ran in the special election last year on a Saturday, the voter turnout was low," Turner said.

The turnout for last year's special election was around 13 percent statewide and around nine percent for Logan County.

Turner said he expects more Logan County voters to turn out this year because of having Earl Ray Tomblin, a Chapmanville native and resident, the incumbent governor running to keep his gubernatorial seat.

“I think maybe since you have a Logan Countian in the election, more Logan County voters will turn out,” Turner said.

Turner has been going to schools to register voters who will be 18 before October 4.

Six Democrats and eight Republicans are running in the primary. Two Mountain Party candidates are seeking their party’s nomination, which will be decided by convention in May.

"Voters just need to come in and give their name and that's basically it on early voting," Turner said. "The workers bring it up on the computer and they give voters a number and they vote."

Turner said he will help with this year's special election since he is not on the ballot.

Tomblin is running for the Democratic nomination for governor. He has served as governor since Manchin took his seat in the U.S. Senate in November of last year.

According to a press release from the Secretary of State's office, during early voting, as well as voting on May 14, independent voters will be allowed to vote a Democrat or Republican ballot. The voter must request a ballot from a poll worker. A notice will be posted at each voting location advising independent voters of this option.

According to the Statewide Voter Registration System maintained by the Secretary of State’s Office there will be about 650,582 eligible Democrat voters; about 350,618 eligible Republican voters; and about 214,954 eligible voters registered with no party affiliation or as a member of another political party.

There are about 1,170 people registered to vote with the Mountain Party, but that political party will hold a nominating convention to name their candidate for Governor in the October special general election.

In total, there will be about 1,216,154 eligible voters in West Virginia for the special gubernatorial primary, the press release said.

Voters who have questions about early voting locations can contact their county clerk’s office.