(Jake Wagman contributed to this post)

For decades, many of St. Louis’ ward organizations in predominantly black areas have received payments from candidates to help pay for election-day poll workers and other “street” activities aimed at reaching African-American voters. Also getting such money, in the past, have been some politically active groups in black neighborhoods in St. Louis and Kansas City.

But apparently not this time. People close to the campaigns for Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama say they are battling it out for the region’s black voters without resorting to what usually is known as “street money.”

Local Clinton spokeswoman Carly Lindauer said, “We absolutely are not paying any poll workers. It’s all volunteer.”

Local  Obama Caleb Weaver offered a similar comment. “We are not paying the ward organizations. We are relying on the strength of our grassroots organizations. You only need to look at the 22,000 last Saturday in the Edwards Jones Dome to see how excited people are about Barack Obama.”

 Norma Leggette, committeewoman from the city’s Fourth Ward, is among those who are used to getting the election payments. She confirmed that the Obama campaign was not distributing any cash to her ward for poll workers.

“I suppose he does know what he is doing,” said Leggette. “He’s come this far.”

 State Rep. Talbdin El-Amin, committeeman in the First Ward and an Obama supporter, also said that he did not receive any Election Day money from either candidate. “I don’t know who has the money,” El-Amin said. “I just know it’s not me.”

El-Amin said that Obama will have to count on something else to replace the usual for-hire corps of poll workers: “The spirit of volunteerism.”

By law, the payments must come from candidates on the ballot. As a result, the payments can’t come from other elected officials who might want to help Obama or Clinton.

James Clark, a community activist aligned with Clinton, said, “I am making no payments to ward organizations, nor am I putting together a massive field operation like I was preparing to do. I am not involved in getting any poll workers at all.”

Clark added that he was surprised by the candidates’ decision. “I was expecting both of the candidates to engage the electorate more, with street visibility and canvassing,” he said.

“If you don’t get CNN, you wouldn’t know there’s an election Tuesday,” Clark continued. “From a street level, you would not think there is an election. There’s no yard signs, no fliers. The community should be abuzz.”

Clark added that he was concerned the lack of visibility might translate into lower turnout in black neighborhoods. “In these kind of elections, whoever controls the street wins. And neither candidate is controlling the streets.”