Diana Madoshi of Rocklin never thought she’d live to see a serious female presidential contender.

Now, she’s playing an active role in Hillary Clinton’s history-making — if less-than-successful — run for president at this week’s Democratic National Convention in Denver.

Madoshi is one of a handful of locals taking part in the convention, which ends tomorrow night with a speech by Sen. Barack Obama at Invesco Field in front of an estimated 75,000 faithful.

Indeed, while Placer County might be a Republican stronghold, that’s no damper for Denver-bound locals eager to see a Democrat return to Pennsylvania Avenue. In addition to casting their nominating vote, they’ll take part in a slew of conferences, forums, workshops – even a party or two.

“The whole thing is exciting,” said Madoshi, who was elected by local Democrats to one of two Hillary Clinton delegate positions earlier this year.

It’s the first time the 62-year-old has attended a presidential convention, but hardly the beginning of her political involvement. In her 20s, Madoshi walked precincts for local candidates in the Bay Area, and has been active in Democratic politics since, including serving on the local Democratic Central Committee.

As one of two delegates for Clinton – one male, one female – from the 4th Congressional District, Madoshi said she’s ready to fully support Obama, the Illinois senator and presumptive nominee. However, she’s most energized when the subject turns to Clinton.

“She’s the first woman that carried presidential primaries and she won the popular vote,” Madoshi said.

Christa Darlington, on the other hand, has been on the Obama bandwagon from the beginning.

The Auburn resident was a political agnostic until she heard Obama speak in 2006. Since then, she’s traveled to hear him at least eight times, volunteered for the campaign during the Texas primary and has been instrumental in the Foothills for Obama organization. (She’s even brought her Republican husband on board.)

In the spring, Darlington was one of 28 Democrats to run for two convention delegate spots and came in on top.

“I’ve been really focused on this because I think this guy is the real thing,” she said last week before heading off for Denver.

Once there, she said she had a full plate of activities. There’s much more than what viewers see on TV, she said.

“There’s a lot of different activities that are set up for delegates,” she said. “I’m going to one on global warming. I will also be gong to a couple of events empowering women to be involved. And on Wednesday we have our community service day.”

Roseville resident Rene Aguilera will also be attending the convention, but taking part in a different way. He’ll be an assistant to a disabled Clinton delegate from Weimar, but not an actual delegate himself.

“This is going to be a part of history, having an African Amercian be the nominee as president of the United States,” said Aguilera, a Roseville City School Board member who served as a delegate at the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston.

He called the convention process critical for Obama to pull away from his presumptive Republican challenger, Arizona Senator John McCain, in the polls. He estimates a 5 percentage point “bump” following the convention.

“I would say right now it’s a dead heat, and the conventions are a way to bring community masses together to go back and invigorate their districts,” he said.

Of course, Democrats aren’t the only ones ready to celebrate their party’s standard bearer.

Auburn resident Ann Whitley will travel to Minneapolis for the start of the Republican National Convention taking place there Sept. 1 through Sept. 5. She’s the sole Placer County resident serving as a delegate at this year’s Republican convention.

“I was like, ‘Oh wow! This is so cool!’” said Whitley, who is the director of membership for the California Republican Party, of learning she had been selected as a McCain delegate.

A longtime activist in Placer County Republican politics, Whitley said the selection by the party was a reward for her volunteer work. She’s an active member of Republican Women Federated and was recently appointed as a vice president for the South Placer Republican Women Federated.

“It’s kind of the highest honor when you’re involved in politics as a volunteer,” she said.

-Jenifer Gee contributed to this report.