Thirty years ago no politician would consider a campaign without volunteers as a core component. Telephone banks, literature drops, mailings that required envelopes to be stuffed, sealed and addressed all relied on average unpaid citizen power. From urban to rural to the growing suburbs, campaign basics used to mean finding and keeping good volunteers. They gave some time and effort and got a free soda, cookies and a chance to get a thank-you from the candidate up close and personal. If they walked some precincts or worked the polls, they met their neighbors and friends, and the community grew closer.
Modern campaigns disdain the nostalgia of late nights stuffing envelopes.
You must have TV, radio and direct mail. Today's technology-driven campaigns are built on money and professionals. Also, the rapidity with which things happen in modern campaigns means tactics change hour to hour. Strategy based on people makes it much harder to turn the ship around on a dime. Today's technology-driven campaigns are built on money and professionals.