DENVER -- People from all over the country are vying for volunteer opportunities when the Democratic National Convention sets up shop in Denver this August.

Already, 26,000 volunteers have signed up to help with the DNC. The Convention Host Committee said 10,000 were called for in the bid to secure the event.

Elbra Wedgeworth, president and chair of the board for the 2008 Denver Host Committee, said the numbers top any other Democratic convention in history.

"About 9,000 of those people are from outside Colorado," Wedgworth said.

The cast of volunteers will be spread across the city and will be filling many roles including greeting, driving, and explaining directions to tens of thousands of visitors expected to descend on the Mile High City.

"We're excited about utilizing as many people as we can," Wedgeworth said while noting that the Host Committee is currently reviewing online profiles submitted by volunteers.

Training began over the weekend for volunteer coordinators.

Volunteers will be selected based on their skills, availability and interests, according to the host committee's Web site. The Web site said volunteer assignments will start to come out in early July.

Not everyone can be guaranteed a volunteer assignment, the Web site said.

Wedgworth said it's difficult to know how many volunteers will actually receive assignments.

"We're basically trying to figure out with all the different events we have to do, and assisting the DNCC, how can we utilize everyone," Wedgworth told 7NEWS Wednesday. "We're going through that process right now."

It's a different story in Saint Paul, Minn., where the Republican National Convention is still calling for volunteers.

Of the 10,000 volunteers needed, only 4,000 have signed up to help in the Twin Cities for the RNC, which starts Sept. 1.

"I've got a bit of a philosophy and political background," said Tucker Slosburg, a new Denver resident who signed up to volunteer at the DNC.

Slosburg said he'd be happy driving a shuttle bus in exchange for the chance to observe history.

"I'm looking forward to it," Slosburg said.