Mebbe, but I doubt if our turnout would go up appreciably if we dumped the Electoral College for most elections. Apathy is apathy. If we had a vote in California about seceding from the U.S., I bet California's turnout would be record-breaking too. - Stephen Mack

Of course, some of that apathy is deliberately encouraged. It's not like we deliberately set aside time as a society to do this, or expect that work or commerce should briefly halt to see it accomplished. Polling places are often extraordinarily inconvenient for large parts of the population, portions of which are at massive disadvantage when attempting to even register to vote. - Jennifer Dittrich

Jennifer, it's a good point. I'd love to see us implement a national voting day holiday (which other countries have had for years). - Stephen Mack

Certain segments of the political spectrum encourage apathy with such statements as "they're all the same" etc and by making voting a more arduous task then it needs to be.... Make Sunday polling day and tell them that football doesn't start tell the votes are tally'ed.... - WarLord

I'd love to see a voting holiday (a real holiday, as in only emergency personnel have to work, and people get paid leave) as well as a lot more polling places (with special emphasis on currently underserved areas, like reservations and very poor neighborhoods.) - Jennifer Dittrich

I support Stephens call for a national drinking^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H voting holiday! (which is apparently how some folks in countries with such holidays respond... :/ ) - Ken Gidley

A holiday is interpreted as a "travel and get away" day. So that would conflict with voting. - Louis Gray

We vote on a Saturday. Works for us. - Johnny

You vote on a Saturday? How do you get people to show up? They can't put a TV show on Saturdays. - Eric @ CS Techcast

Also, voting is done at almost every public school (close, easily accessible by public transport), there is pre-polling options like electoral officers taking voting stations to nursing homes and hospitals. - Johnny

Eric. We have compulsory voting (which I wholeheartedly support) but they also have a sausage sizzle and jam stores so you do it on the way out or back from your weekend stuff and grab a snack. - Johnny