Outline and critically assess the major explanations for lowVoter participation in American national elections?

On paper, American citizens have won more rights to be included in many areas of political life. Overtly sexist and racist barriers that excluded millions have been demolished. Americans are now more educated and more informed about national affairs than there ancestors were a hundred years ago. Yet the odd fact is that despite all this, Americans no longer get involved as much or as extensively as they did in the past. With few exceptions, voter participation has been decreasing significantly since 1960.
Not only are American voter turnout levels low but they have been steadily declining over the past four decades. From a high of around 63% of the voting- age population in 1960, turnout in presidential elections has declined to just barely half (51%) of the voting age population by 2000.

Voting in the USA is essentially a two-step process; first one must register then one votes. It hardly seems likely that those lacking the motivation to vote would stop at the first step in the pr...