UPDATE: Lynchburg's voter turnout slightly higher than counties'

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WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT PRIMARY DAY
TODAY: Polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.
TONIGHT: Check back at newsadvance.com for election results
TOMORROW: Pick up The News & Advance for complete coverage of state and local races

WHAT'S ON THE BALLOT?
Democratic primary for governor:
Terry McAuliffe
Creigh Deeds
Brian Moran

Democratic primary for lieutenant governor:
Michael Signer
Jody Wagner
(Jon Bowerbank also will appear on the ballot, although he withdrew May 16)

Republican primary for 23rd House District (Lynchburg & Madison Heights):
Scott Garrett
Jeff Helgeson

PICK A PARTY
Any registered voter can participate in either the Democratic primary or the Republican primary, but not both. Voters will be asked at the polls which primary they wish to vote in.

UPDATED 2:45 p.m.

At 5.9 percent, voter turnout in Lynchburg is slightly higher in today's primaries so far than the surrounding counties'.

Pat Bower, Lynchburg's general registrar, said that's likely because Lynchburg voters have two primaries to choose from, while the counties - except for part of Amherst County - have only one.

Besides choosing a Democratic gubernatorial candidate to run against Republican Bob McDonnell, Lynchburg voters and some in Amherst County could choose a Republican candidate to run against Democrat Shannon Valentine for the 23rd District House of Delegates seat. Voters can participate in either the Democratic or Republican primary but not both.

State officials had projected that less than 5 percent of Virginia voters would participate in primaries today.

"I would expect us to be well above the state average, hopefully," Bower said.

As of 12:30 p.m., 2,815 - or 5.9 percent - of Lynchburg's registered voters had voted in either of the primaries. Of those, 1,147 voted in the Democratic primary while 1,668 voted in the Republican primary.

Besides Lynchburg, turnout was at:

- 2 percent in Amherst County as of 11 a.m.,

- 1.5 percent in Bedford County as of noon,

- 1.3 percent in Campbell County as of noon, and

- almost 3 percent in Appomattox County as of noon.

Voters are asked to choose from among Creigh Deeds, Terry McAuliffe and Brian Moran to run as a Democrat against McDonnell. They are also asked to choose a candidate for lieutenant governor from among Michael Signer, Jody Wagner and Jon Bowerbank, although Bowerbank has dropped out of the race.

Lynchburg and some Amherst County voters are asked to choose between Lynchburg City Councilmen Jeff Helgeson and Scott Garrett to run as a Republican against Del. Shannon Valentine for the House of Delegates seat.

-- Matt Busse

UPDATED 10:45 a.m.

Local registrars report seeing a light turnout so far in today's primaries.

Voters statewide have three choices for a Democratic opponent to Republican gubernatorial nominee Bob McDonnell, a former attorney general: Creigh Deeds, Terry McAuliffe and Brian Moran. They also can choose a Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor.

Statewide, voter turnout is expected to be less than 5 percent of Virginia's 5 million registered voters.

"It doesn't sound very busy," Lynchburg General Registrar Pat Bower said of voting at the city's precincts. "We've got a few precincts that were right around 100 voters at 9:30, but I've only heard from a couple."

In Bedford County, many precincts had reported seeing only between a dozen and 30 voters so far, said General Registrar Barbara Gunter.

In Lynchburg and part of Amherst County, voters can choose between Lynchburg City Councilmen Jeff Helgeson and Scott Garrett to run as Republicans against Del. Shannon Valentine for the House of Delegates' 23rd District seat.

Despite having the Republican contest, city turnout is still expected to be low.

"I guess I'd be surprised, personally, if it's above 10 percent, but who knows," Bower said.

-- Matt Busse

Earlier:

RICHMOND -- The trio of Democratic gubernatorial prospects today close out a highly contentious but little-noticed primary battle likely to be decided by a sliver of Virginia voters.

A late surge by R. Creigh Deeds is again forcing Terry McAuliffe and Brian J. Moran to attack Deeds for his pro-gun stance, including attempts in 2008 and this year to overturn a veto by departing Gov. Timothy M. Kaine of legislation banning concealed firearms in bars.

Strategists suggest that an unknown heading into the first Democratic primary for governor in 32 years is the impact of get-out-the-vote apparatuses assembled by the candidates largely out of view.

Balloting in the primary — open to all voters, regardless of their party preference — begins at 6 a.m. and continues until 7 p.m.

The cost of the election to taxpayers could not be immediately determined, though Virginia localities spent nearly $3.2 million in the 2008 presidential primary.

In addition to selecting an opponent to Republican gubernatorial nominee Bob McDonnell, voters pick a Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor and settle House of Delegates nominations in 12 local primaries.

Jody Wagner, a former secretary of finance in the Kaine administration, and ex-gubernatorial aide Mike Signer are vying to take on Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, a Republican seeking a second term.

Virginia has about 5 million registered voters, but turnout is expected to be below 5 percent. Relatively few absentee ballots have been cast so far — about 10,000 of nearly 15,000 applications, according to the State Board of Elections.

Weather could keep some voters home. The forecast is calling for afternoon showers and thunderstorms, perhaps severe.

With Deeds ahead in a final pre-primary poll, former frontrunner McAuliffe is attempting to slow momentum for the state senator from rural Bath County by suggesting his record on firearms is antithetical to Democrats.

During a rally outside a Richmond coffee shop that drew about 80 supporters, McAuliffe, of McLean, joked that taverns can be violent places without guns: “Trust me, I’m Irish; I understand.”

Meantime, a survivor of the Virginia Tech mass-shooting and a relative of a student killed in the 2007 tragedy circulated an e-mail urging Democrats to oppose Deeds because he resists gun control.

“Keeping the people we love safe is the single most important issue to us, and that’s why Senator Deeds won’t be getting our vote on Tuesday,” wrote Omar Samaha and Colin Goddard. “We urge other Virginians to vote on Tuesday for the other Democrats.”

Deeds, backed by the National Rifle Association for attorney general over McDonnell in 2005, this year pushed for compromise to close a loophole allowing some purchases at firearms shows without compulsory background checks.

Moran, who has pelted Deeds for fighting the one-handgun-a-month law enacted in 1993 under Democratic Gov. L. Douglas Wilder, wrapped up in his hometown of Alexandria with a rally near City Hall that organizers said attracted about 300.

In Richmond on Sunday night, Deeds called McAuliffe’s attacks a sign of desperation. Deeds said he is a “middle-of-the-road guy” whose stances will appeal to a broad swath of the electorate.

“I’m the only person that’s ever had to reach out and get Republican votes and independent votes, and in Virginia you have to do that,” Deeds said.

-- Jeff E. Schapiro