CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- West Virginia voters have cast more than 25,000 early and absentee ballots so far in the special gubernatorial primary election.

Figures posted on the Secretary of State's website show 25,879 votes have been cast as of Monday morning. That's about 2 percent of the state's 1.2 million eligible voters.

The total includes 16,347 Democratic votes, 7,667 Republican votes, 1,840 independent votes and 25 third party votes.

Early voting continues through May 11. The primary is May 14.

Six Democrats and eight Republicans are running in the primary. Bob Henry Baber won the Mountain Party's nomination at the party's convention earlier this month.

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.