The problem isn't necessarily low voter turnout overall, but the differences across groups. For example (these numbers are off the top of my head, but in the r

The problem isn't necessarily low voter turnout overall, but the differences across groups. For example (these numbers are off the top of my head, but in the right ballpark) when middle class people vote at a 70% rate and the working poor vote at 40%, you don't get representation that reflects the communities it represents, regardless of candidate quality. Neither the cost of voter time, as you referenced, nor its value is the same across groups. You'll find that efforts to increase voter turnout are emphasized in those communities where turnout is low.