Ideally, we'd build networks of local volunteers who would canvass their own neighborhoods, so as to lessen the annoyance factor. That's hard to do, but not impossible. It's machine politics not on a precinct level, but on a neighborhood level. Or, a school district level: imagine teachers on a canvass targeting households with school-age children to discuss the election in regards to the local school and education policy. There are other ways of doing this (union members talking to other members), but it will require some heavy lifting on the front end.