![\"2010](\"http:\/\/www.nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/12\/2010-Election-300x150.png\" "\\"2010")
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New Mexico’s\u00a0Democratic<\/a> and Republican <\/a>parties have set\u00a0 dates and picked locations for their 2010 pre-primary nominating conventions.<\/p>\n Both parties will host their conventions on Saturday, March 13. Republicans have decided to meet at the Albuquerque Hilton Hotel<\/a>, while Democrats will head north to the Hilton Santa Fe Golf Resort and Spa at Buffalo Thunder<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n Democratic Party Chairman Javier Gonzales told party members —\u00a0in an e-mail sent last week\u00a0 — that he had toured sites from Las Cruces to Santa Fe, but\u00a0indicated\u00a0 he and his\u00a0 staff,\u00a0 who are anticipating a “significant increase in turnout,” chose a venue with a “greater capacity than was necessary in year’s past.”<\/p>\n “Having the Pre-Primary Convention at the Buffalo Thunder Resort means that the DPNM will save precious resources which can be utilized in the 2010 election season, keep costs to delegates at a minimum and allows the DPNM to host events for delegates on both Friday and Saturday evening at an amazing resort and conference space,” Gonzales wrote.<\/p>\n State GOP Executive Director Ryan Cangiolosi sent an e-mail to Republican candidates telling them the party would allow them to rent tables and sponsor coffee breaks for between $200 and $250 and inviting campaigns to host receptions on the Friday evening before the convention.<\/p>\n Democrats will host 2,160 delegates, including 446 State Central Committee delegates. Delegates, and alternate delegates, will be elected at county conventions. State Central Committee members are automatic delegates.<\/p>\n A similar process is used to pick delegates in the Republican Party, but state central committee members are not automatically included in the 437-delegate count.\u00a0 They also have to win their spots at county conventions, according to Cangiolosi.<\/p>\n