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Part of the low turnout is due to racially targeted voter suppression and felon disenfranchisement, and the overall history of Confederate bastardry in general. That ain’t the fault of lazy voters.
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A large part of the voter turnout figures are due to the electoral college and winner-take-all elections. Millions of California Republicans stayed home because they knew that their vote would not change the result. If they’d come out to vote, California would still have sent its electoral votes to Clinton and Trump would still be President. Even if you manage to take over a state with an unexpected turnout surge in one election, that is likely to drive opposing turnout in the next election, returning to the status quo.
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Much of the rest of the turnout numbers can be explained by widespread disgust at endemic, intractable corruption on all sides of the US political establishment.
Yes, higher turnout from the non-fascist part of the American electorate would be a good thing. Give them something to vote for, and work against the powers that are determined to prevent them from doing so.
