KRGV.com

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Thousands of Democrats gathered in Charlotte for the Democratic National Convention. Their first order of business was to find a seat at the venue.

"The thing to do is to be the early bird," Nat West said. He is a delegate from Houston.

"Get out early, stake your claim ... print your name neatly so that not only can you read your name, but that somebody else can read your license plate on your vehicle that you'll be seated in."

West arrived at 4 a.m.

"I mean everyone has heard of the run for the Cherokee Strip ... sooner you are, the better," West said.

The Texas seats are first-come, first-served.

"Right now, at this point, there is no better mousetrap," he said.

West has followers.

"The strategy to finding a seat is to follow Nat West," John Moffitt said. He is also from Houston. "I'm just running along in his tracks."

West is trying to teach his tactic.

"I think I want to have a seat and get a good view because this probably will be my last chance to be at a national convention," Moffitt said.

Moffitt said it's expensive and time-consuming to attend a convention.

"I can check this one off my bucket list," Moffitt said.

For West, this is his first convention.

"I must tell the truth. People look at me and say, ‘because of your age you have wisdom and experience,' but I am a rookie," West said.

West even called convention organizers to make sure the seat he picked was acceptable.

Even State Rep. Ryan Guillen, from Rio Grande City, arrived early to search for seats. For him, it was all about the view.