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Steamboat Springs — The 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver is less than a year away, and the Colorado Democratic Party is ramping up efforts to recruit residents to participate.

Party officials will be on hand in Steamboat Springs on Saturday to provide information about the upcoming convention and recruit local Democrats to get involved in the first of a series of convention seminars across the state.

Sky Gallegos, deputy chief executive officer of the Democratic National Convention Committee, and Pat Waak, chairwoman of the Colorado Democratic Party, will provide information about the upcoming convention and discuss opportunities for involvement, including volunteering and running to be a convention delegate.

"The seminar is basically to let people come and hear about what this convention is about and what it means to the Colorado economy," said Matt Sugar, spokesman for the Colorado Democratic Party. Sugar emphasized that the educational portion of Saturday's seminar is nonpartisan.

Saturday's event will also feature breakout sessions on caucus training for registered Democrats and training workshops for the Neighbor-to-Neighbor program, a get-out-the-vote effort under the Democratic National Committee's state partnership program.

The last day for unregistered or unaffiliated voters to register with a political party, in order to participate in Colorado's Feb. 5 caucus, is Dec. 5.

Voters seeking to change or declare their party affiliation can do so in person at the Routt County Clerk and Recorder's Office, Deputy Clerk Kim Bonner said.

State Democrats have additional convention seminars scheduled in Fort Collins and Durango, with more expected to be announced in coming weeks.

But Saturday's event likely is the only one to be held in the area, according to Sugar, who said interested residents of Garfield, Grand, Jackson, Moffat and Rio Blanco counties have been invited to Steamboat's seminar.

Saturday's event will begin with a potluck lunch at 11:30 a.m. in Olympian Hall at Howelsen Hill Lodge. Participants are asked to take a dish to share.