I just had to share this with you. Just found this when looking around on the lwv's website. Sorry for posting massive amounts of text directly from the article, but I think it is worth highlighting. I definately suggest you go read the article in its entirety.

What you get from a bunch of consumers
"If the choice were between voting and taking advantage of a once-a-year sale at a favorite store, 30 percent of nonvoters chose the sale, compared to 6 percent of voters...if a new episode of a favorite TV show were on, 27 percent of nonvoters would stay home instead of vote; for voters the figure was only 3 percent."

apathy is par for the course
"Among the survey's key findings is that voters and nonvoters have nearly identical levels of mistrust in government, with both groups expressing profound cynicism and political alienation: Among the nonvoters surveyed, 72 percent said they could trust the federal government to do what is right only some of the time or never. Among voters, the figure was 73 percent. Asked if government is run by a few big interests or for the benefit of all people, 69 percent of voters and 73 percent of nonvoters answered "a few big interests."

The implication of these findings, according to the League, is that political alienation and cynicism are widespread among the population, but because voters and nonvoters appear equally dissatisfied with government and politics, alienation cannot be considered a factor in nonvoting."

why you need to advertise effectively
"Among a series of messages the survey tested for encouraging people to vote, the one judged "most convincing" by voters and nonvoters alike emphasized the consequences of an election in very personal terms: "It's your children's education, your taxes, your Social Security, your Medicare, and your safe streets that your government is debating. Isn't it time you had your say? Make your voice heard--vote...

Far less compelling--to nonvoters in particular--were messages that stressed voting as a way to make one's individual voice heard or that suggested "your vote counts." Said Cain, "An effective message for voter mobilization will focus on the system's impact on the individual, and not the individual's impact on the system."