Haven't looked at the problem much, but I suspect it's a feeling of futility. If the problem in Spain is half the possible votes are illegal, I'd probably feel

Haven't looked at the problem much, but I suspect it's a feeling of futility. If the problem in Spain is half the possible votes are illegal, I'd probably feel like whatever's going to happen through diplomatic channels is going to happen because that doesn't feel like a real election. In the US, most people live in either a red state or blue state and it'd take a heck of an upset to change that - and no one feels like a heck of an upset is coming. There are swing states where a tiny difference makes a huge difference nationally - and I suspect turnout is better in those states. But I haven't looked at it much - I could be wrong, and that would blow my theories to hell.