The Democratic and Republican parties will hold district conventions today to select delegates to their respective national conventions.

About 250 Republicans are expected to gather at White County High School for their convention, which will include a keynote address by U.S. Rep. Nathan Deal, R-Gainesville.

"We are very excited to be hosting the convention and the community has really come behind us to welcome everyone to White County," said Josh Turner, White County GOP Chairman.

The convention will elect three delegates and three alternates to attend the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis, Minn. Delegates to the district GOP convention were elected at county conventions throughout the 9th district.

A nominating committee was scheduled to meet Friday in White County to determine the candidates for the six spots, who will be voted upon by the full convention.

Also today, Democrats will meet at Democratic Party Headquarters in East Ellijay for their conventions. Anyone who is a registered voter in the 9th district and is not a member of the Republican party can attend and vote.

Two Gainesville residents are seeking the three delegate spots to the Democratic National Convention in Denver.

Joe Diaz, a Gainesville attorney, is running as a delegate for Sen. Hillary Clinton, and Lauren Bell is running as a delegate for Sen. Barack Obama. A bus to transport delegates to the convention is scheduled to leave the St. John Baptist Church parking lot at 8 a.m.

Of the three Democratic delegate slots, one is for a female Obama delegate, one is for a female Clinton delegate and the third is for a male Clinton delegate. Clinton was the top vote getter in the 9th district, although Obama carried the state.

The party headquarters is located at 36 Mulberry St. in East Ellijay.