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this post was submitted on 10 Sep 2023
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Depends largely on the jurisdiction. Vote by mail has a huge impact.
My home state, Oregon, has been doing vote by mail since 2000.
In 2022 there were 2,985,820 registered voters on a population of 4.24 million people.
https://sos.oregon.gov/elections/Pages/electionsstatistics.aspx
1,997,689 cast ballots.
So that's 66.9% of all eligible voters and 47.11% of the population as a whole.
If you think that having 1/3 of voters sit out an election is a "win", then we've already lost.
If the alternative is 1/4 or 1/5 voting, then it is a "win." Every step in the right direction is a win.
I can tell you've never tried to get people to participate in a voluntary action like this. 65-70% participation is fantastic. The only way to significantly improve that is to make it mandatory. You still won't improve the quality of the outcome, though. People forced to vote will protest vote, like a write in for Mickey Mouse or intentionally voting for the "worst" candidate.
My point is, it aint 75% sitting out.
Getting 2/3rds in a mid term election is UNHEARD OF in non-vote-by-mail states.
That's still only registered voters. Per your own post, over HALF of the total population isn't being counted here. Yes, some are too young or ineligible for some other reason, but there are still literally millions of people who simply never bothered to register who are sitting out these elections.
All these stupid polls are biased to show a certain perspective.... what's next, we'll have a poll that says 89.2% of Americans want free money?! No Way!1!!
According to the census, about 20% of our state is under 18.
So 47.11% registered to vote. 20% unable to register. 67.11%, leaving 33% non-voting.
Pretty much better than it ever has been.