National convention: Volunteers say it's about showcasing St. Paul
by The Associated Press

ST. PAUL -- Volunteers by the thousands are lining up to help the Democrats and Republicans put on their respective national conventions.

There are more than 10,000 volunteers for the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, although organizers say they got a late start signing people up. The convention starts on Labor Day.

In Denver, the host committee for the Democratic National Convention has up to 23,000 people on its volunteer list.

All those volunteers are necessary to keep things running smoothly.

Volunteers can even be from the opposing party.

That's the case for St. Paul Democrat Laura Peterson. She says her party preference didn't stop her from signing up as a volunteer for the Republican event, and she thinks of it as a bipartisan thing.

Others say it's a simple matter of showcasing their city, regardless of the politics.