ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Call them passionate, idealistic, earnest, even a tad naive. The volunteers powering President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney's presidential campaigns share at least one trait: an abiding faith in the political process and a belief that who occupies the White House still matters. Many voters aren't as optimistic. An Associated Press-GfK poll taken in June found less than half of adults say the outcome of the Nov. 6 election will make a great deal of difference on the economy, unemployment and the federal budget deficit. Both sides rely heavily on volunteer labor even as spending on high-priced staples like TV ads, polling and consultants keeps rising. Many of a campaign's most labor intensive tasks — from staffing offices to making phone calls to registering voters — are done by volunteers.
Obama, Romney volunteers hope to make a difference
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In this photo taken June 28, 2012, President Barack Obama 2012 volunteers have a meeting at campaign headquarters in Richmond, Va. Call them passionate, idealistic, earnest, even a tad naive: The volunteers helping to power the Obama and Romney campaigns are outliers at a time when polls show record low public satisfaction with government and a growing belief that Washington isn’t on their side. While motivated by opposing goals, the Obama and Romney volunteers share at least one key trait: an abiding faith in the political process and a belief that it still matters who occupies the White House. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
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In this photo taken June 28, 2012, a Barack Obama Superman cutout looks over volunteers as the work the phones at a call center for the campaign in Richmond, Va. Call them passionate, idealistic, earnest, even a tad naive: The volunteers helping to power the Obama and Romney campaigns are outliers at a time when polls show record low public satisfaction with government and a growing belief that Washington isn’t on their side. While motivated by opposing goals, the Obama and Romney volunteers share at least one key trait: an abiding faith in the political process and a belief that it still matters who occupies the White House. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
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In this photo taken June 28, 2012, President Barack Obama 2012 volunteers Liesa Collins, left, and Mindy Bertram, enter data as they work at a call center for the campaign in Richmond, Va. Call them passionate, idealistic, earnest, even a tad naive: The volunteers helping to power the Obama and Romney campaigns are outliers at a time when polls show record low public satisfaction with government and a growing belief that Washington isn’t on their side. While motivated by opposing goals, the Obama and Romney volunteers share at least one key trait: an abiding faith in the political process and a belief that it still matters who occupies the White House. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
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In this photo taken June 29, 2012, Geoffrey Tanner, 19, of Herndon, Va., center, and other volunteers make phone calls at the Romney Victory Office in Fairfax, Va. Call them passionate, idealistic, earnest, even a tad naive: The volunteers helping to power the Obama and Romney campaigns are outliers at a time when polls show record low public satisfaction with government and a growing belief that Washington isn’t on their side. While motivated by opposing goals, the Obama and Romney volunteers share at least one key trait: an abiding faith in the political process and a belief that it still matters who occupies the White House. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
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In this photo taken June 29, 2012, Matthew Gagnon volunteers working on a Facebook page for the Romney Victory Office in Fairfax, Va. Call them passionate, idealistic, earnest, even a tad naive: The volunteers helping to power the Obama and Romney campaigns are outliers at a time when polls show record low public satisfaction with government and a growing belief that Washington isn’t on their side. While motivated by opposing goals, the Obama and Romney volunteers share at least one key trait: an abiding faith in the political process and a belief that it still matters who occupies the White House. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
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In this photo taken June 29, 2012, Karen Chew, left, of Washington, and fellow volunteers make phone calls for the Romney campaign at a Romney Victory Office in Fairfaix, Va. where she says she puts in about a dozen hours a week but wishes she could put in more time. Call them passionate, idealistic, earnest, even a tad naive: The volunteers helping to power the Obama and Romney campaigns are outliers at a time when polls show record low public satisfaction with government and a growing belief that Washington isn’t on their side. While motivated by opposing goals, the Obama and Romney volunteers share at least one key trait: an abiding faith in the political process and a belief that it still matters who occupies the White House. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
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