The D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics is tweeting updates this morning as 2010 candidates stop by on the first day to pick up nominating petitions.

Starting today, candidates have until Wednesday, July 7 to collect the required number of signatures in order to appear on the ballot for the September primary elections. We can expect to see campaign volunteers hitting up high pedestrian traffic areas, like outside of major retailers and Metro station entrances, as early as this weekend.

Among the early birds to show up already, according to @DCBOEE: Mayoral candidates Adrian Fenty, Leo Alexander, Vincent Gray, Ernest Johnson, and Patrick Tayman; Candidate for D.C. Council Chair Kwame Brown; and D.C. Del. challenger Douglass Sloan.

Keep following @DCBOEE today for more — they’ve promised hourly updates.