Clutching a vibrant assortment of campaign pamphlets for Vice President Kamala Harris, George Pumphrey Jr. positioned himself in front of a doorbell camera nestled on a house in a neighborhood of North Milwaukee. With determination, he began to project his voice into the little digital peephole, exclaiming, “I’m a volunteer!” He eagerly requested to speak with the resident inside, who was visible through the window but was preoccupied with watching television.

A woman’s voice, faint yet clear, emanated from the speaker, instructing Mr. Pumphrey to leave the pamphlets at the doorstep. This interaction was merely one part of a long day of dedicated, unpaid work for Mr. Pumphrey, 75, a seasoned volunteer who passionately engaged in canvassing during Barack Obama’s historic 2008 presidential campaign. However, he expressed a growing concern: a mix of fatigue, widespread misinformation, and apprehension about strangers in the community has made it increasingly challenging to connect with residents in Sherman Park, a predominantly Black neighborhood where he spent part of his childhood.

“The only way to do this effectively is to meet them face to face,” he reflected as he strolled to the next house on his list. “But with all the chaos happening in the world today, people are understandably hesitant to open their doors.”

Mr. Pumphrey’s experience does not signify the end of door-to-door canvassing, but rather a transformation of the practice, especially in areas where potential voters are difficult to engage. In Milwaukee County, home to two-thirds of the Black population in the pivotal battleground state of Wisconsin, the Harris campaign is deploying teams of enthusiastic volunteers while harnessing data-capturing applications to enhance the traditional methods of canvassing.

While technology may provide an avenue for people to circumvent interactions with door knockers, the Harris campaign is optimistic that it can also effectively motivate voters to head to the polls on Election Day.