Virginia Governor's Race Tightest In Years

Michael Mohler, president of the Virginia Professional Firefighters union, said he has "hundreds" of members manning the phones, putting up yard signs, knocking on doors and ready to drive reluctant voters to the polls.

In 2001, Warner mounted what political observers said was an unprecedented effort to turn out Democratic voters.

The multimillionaire spent $3.5 million on voter outreach, according to his campaign manager, Steve Jarding. Volunteers and 135 full-time staffers contacted 1.3 million households between April and November.

Sources familiar with the Kaine effort said they have budgeted $5 million for turnout. Kaine's campaign manager, Mike Henry, was in charge of Warner's get-out-the-vote program four years ago.

Much of Kaine's money will be spent on "flushing," a term Democrats use to describe efforts to make sure that people in heavily Democratic communities actually vote.

Reiley said Kaine has also organized a massive transportation effort to get people from condominiums and senior centers to polling places.

But Democratic sources said Kaine has expanded his turnout efforts to include areas normally considered Republican. That could help boost Kaine's vote in the suburbs around Washington and in Richmond and in Hampton Roads.

Kaine said he has "great confidence" in the people running his turnout effort. "They know what was done [in 2001]. Their goal is to start with that as the base and dramatically exceed it," he said.

At least one Democrat is hopeful but skeptical. Reiley described Warner as a "cat on a hot tin roof" waiting for Election Day.

"Every four years, they say they have the best GOTV," Warner said in a recent interview. "And you never really know until Election Day."

Staff writers Steven Ginsberg and Rosalind S. Helderman contributed to this report.