They all met in Flagstaff.

But delegate candidates from the host county were shut out.

Five delegates from the First Congressional District were selected Saturday to represent the two top Democratic candidates at the national convention.

The sprawling district includes all or parts of nine counties. But only two will be represented with delegates: Yavapai and Apache.

A sixth delegate — from Yavapai County — was selected as an alternate.

Among the chosen delegates were two Native Americans.

Chris Clark Deschene of Apache County secured his seat as a delegate after two rounds of voting. Clark is a Barack Obama supporter.

"This speaks of what the Democratic Party is," Deschene said. "You see diversity in ethnic groups and age groups within the party. Obama is bringing a whole new group into the election. The young group."

Jack Jackson Jr., a Native American supporting Hillary Clinton, secured one of three Clinton delegate slots.

Jacob Harvey, a 19-year-old freshman at NAU, took second place to Clark but did not secure a spot as a delegate. However, Harvey captured the essence of the Obama campaign: age and experience don't always make the best candidates.

Angela LeFevre, Obama's other First District delegate, grew up in England and moved to the United States in 1981 with her late husband.

LeFevre studied politics at the London School of Economics before heading stateside.

"I just feel like this is a very unique time," LeFevre said. "It is so important that we all unite. This election is too important."

A ROOM DIVIDED

Clinton and Obama supporters were separated and sat on opposite ends of the Cline Library auditorium. The atmosphere was reminiscent of a state of the union speech, with applause coming louder from different sides of the room, depending on who was speaking.

The candidates who showed up each had three minutes to make a speech.

Delegates were selected by a panel of precinct committee members. Members voted on ballots that were placed into envelopes and counted by Democratic Party officials.

For more than five hours delegate hopefuls waited while the speeches continued, then the ballots were counted.

Obama supporter Matt Capalby was received with jeers and calls to "sit down" coming from the Clinton side after he publicly withdrew from the election in favor of Steve Owen. Owen ended up tying an NAU student for second place after the second round of voting.

Many Clinton supporters, however, urged bridging the divide among Democrats, no matter who ends up with the nomination.

"Reach across the aisle and unite this party," said Greg Kaighn, a former trial lawyer running for the delegate spot. "These are the best two candidates this party has produced since Robert Kennedy."

Clinton supporters from the First District received one extra delegate and an alternate delegate since Clinton won among Democrats in Arizona during the primaries.

Two men and one woman were elected from the Clinton camp while Obama earned one man and one woman delegate from the district.

Neither of the two delegate candidates officially endorsed by the Obama campaign won a seat. Diane Lenz and Steve Owen both lost to delegates not endorsed by the campaign.

The five delegates will travel to Denver for the Democratic National Convention beginning August 25, where the official selection of the Democratic presidential nominee is expected.

The Winners

Based on a simple majority, 50 percent plus one

Angela LeFevre, Yavapai County

30 of 58 votes

Obama supporter

Chris Clark Deschene, Apache County

43 of 62 votes

Obama supporter

Dawn Knight, Yavapai County

29 of 34 votes

Clinton supporter

Greg Kaighn, Yavapai County

29 of 34 votes

Clinton supporter

Jack Jackson Jr. Apache County

22 of 35 votes

Clinton supporter

Nikki Basque (alternate), Yavapai County

29 of 34 votes in the alternate election

Clinton supporter