Members of a college student Democratic organization multitask during a meeting, putting together a mailing for a local Democratic Party candidate.

There are many things that fuel local campaigns. Yes, money is very important. A good candidate with excellent political skills also helps quite a bit. Having a plan and executing it is a good thing, too. One thing that is overlooked by the general public is the value of campaign volunteers. Note I didn’t say the same of candidates and campaigns. They love volunteers. Having a lot of volunteers makes those tedious, yet very important, tasks happen. The work is not glamorous, but it is essential, and having volunteers who actually do those crucial tasks takes a load off the resources (and stress level) of a campaign.

So, here’s the pitch. There’s far too much to do in all local campaigns, there are too few resources to accomplish them, and time is running out. If you haven’t already done so, find a local or General Assembly candidate in your area, go to their headquarters, and volunteer. You’ll be glad you did and you’ll be greatly appreciated.

If you love to talk on the phone, they’ll put you to work in a phone bank. If you’re a phone-a-phobe, you can stuff envelopes. If you’re artistic you can make posters for the campaign office. If you like to walk you can go door to door. If you don’t want to talk to people, but you want some exercise, you can do literature drops. There’s a lot to do and there’s definitely something to fit your skill set and comfort level.

If you can’t give money you can always give your time as a volunteer. It will make a big difference. Believe me.

Assembly lines work well for this process.