Partisans will have their pick of political party parties on the last weekend in May.

For the first time in recent memory, both the DFL and the Republican parties are having their state conventions at the same time.

The DFL party announced way back in June of 2013 that they would hold their convention at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center from May 30 to June 1. Incumbent Gov. Mark Dayton and U.S. Sen. Al Franken are expected to be endorsed for re-election that weekend.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Republican Party also put dibs on May 30 and the 31st. The GOP convention, where party delegates will chose among many hoping to vie against Dayton and Franken, will be at the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester.

Update:

Republican Party chairman Keith Downey said the double scheduling was "out of necessity." Since the legislative session won't end until mid-May and Memorial Day is on May 26, the only available weekend before the state's candidate filing deadline ends on June 3, the only available weekend was the last one in May, he said.

He said overlapping with the DFL convention was not intentional and they considered that political reporters would not be able to be at both conventions at the same time.

"There is literally is no other weekend," he said.