Editing United States Electoral College (section)

=== Lowers turnout ===
Except in closely fought swing states, voter turnout does not affect the election results due to entrenched political party domination in most states. The Electoral College decreases the advantage a political party or campaign might gain for encouraging voters to turn out, except in those swing states.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{Cite journal|last=Nivola|first=Pietro|title=Thinking About Political Polarization|date=January 2005|url=http://www.brookings.edu/papers/2005/01politics_nivola.aspx|issue=139|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080820060557/http://www.brookings.edu/papers/2005/01politics_nivola.aspx|archive-date=August 20, 2008|journal=Brookings Policy Brief|volume=139}}</ref> If the presidential election were decided by a national popular vote, in contrast, campaigns and parties would have a strong incentive to work to increase turnout everywhere.<ref>{{cite web|last=Koza|first=John|title=Every Vote Equal: A State-Based Plan for Electing the President by National Popular Vote|year=2006|page=xvii|url=http://www.every-vote-equal.com/files/Every-Vote-Equal.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061113010411/http://www.every-vote-equal.com/files/Every-Vote-Equal.pdf|archive-date=2006-11-13|display-authors=etal}}</ref>

Individuals would similarly have a stronger incentive to persuade their friends and neighbors to turn out to vote. The differences in turnout between swing states and non-swing states under the current electoral college system suggest that replacing the Electoral College with direct election by popular vote would likely increase turnout and participation significantly.<ref name="autogenerated1"/>