Campaign volunteers are the backbone of any campaign. While candidates have begun pioneering the Internet as a tool for fundraising and building grassroots support, and media coverage provides free exposure, unpaid volunteers still stuff envelopes, hand out fliers and make phone calls.

In rural Rappahannock County, these volunteers have crisscrossed the sparsely populated region, canvassing for support, putting up signs and trying to woo undecided voters.

"Door to door is hard here," said realtor Julie Emery, a volunteer for former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean.

Emery is no neophyte to the world of politics. Although she is working to nominate Dean, she also serves as secretary for the county's Democratic Committee -- two roles she says she is careful to keep separate.

"There's the political hat and the volunteer hat," Emery said. "I don't wear paraphernalia to committee meetings."

In addition to attending Internet-organized events with fellow supporters from neighboring counties, Emery also hands out literature and makes phone calls to potential voters. She addressed a rally the Rappahannock Democratic Committee had planned the weekend before the Feb. 10 primary. However, she prefers a more intimate approach to campaigning.

"It's about having personal conversations with friends and neighbors about who you're supporting and why," Emery said.

Volunteering on behalf of a candidate can often mean many hours of work for no pay. And after all the effort, energy and emotion, victory is never guaranteed.

"Of course it's a gamble," Emery said. "I worked in Florida for (Iowa Sen.) Tom Harkin when he ran for president in 1992. He dropped out before he even got there."

But Emery said that along with the Iraq war and protecting civil liberties, she is motivated by what she sees as a need to change the status quo.

She also knows the nomination fight is only the first part of the work Democrats see as culminating in the defeat of President Bush.

"It matters to me who wins the nomination. It will be a tough fight for whoever goes on to the general election," Emery said.

Volunteers also wrestle with the fact that they have chosen to wear their politics on their sleeves. Living in a district that is heavily Republican, Emery said that it can sometimes effect the way others in the community see her.

"The people you talk to on a day-to-day basis disagree with you on a lot of issues," Emery said. "Neighbors look at you and think 'I thought you were a good person.' There's a feeling of being an outsider."

Virginia's early primary means it may have an actual influence this election cycle. However, Emery's candidate has not been targeting the commonwealth, instead focusing on Washington state and Wisconsin. But whoever captures the nomination, Emery says she will still be involved.

"I will do whatever I can to support the party," Emery said.

-- By Chris Nammour, Online NewsHour