In the wake of the Democratic National Convention, Charlotte, North Carolina, is cleaning up confetti and taking down the red-white-and-blue bunting. But across the nation, campaigning begins in earnest as both parties redouble their efforts to win the American electorate.

The Democratic National Convention concludes in Charlotte, North Carolina, September 6 with a flurry of American flags and President Obama’s formal acceptance of his party’s presidential nomination in the 2012 election.

With the conventions behind them, freshly energized volunteers in both parties return to their home districts for the most exhausting portion of the long road to White House. This two-month sprint to Election Day will mean long hours, little sleep and unpredictable meals for candidates and campaign workers alike as they seek to secure votes.

In every political contest, at every level of U.S. government, this is the season in which those involved in political campaigns know every vote counts, no vote can be taken for granted and each vote could be the difference between winning and losing.