As Amanda says, the disappointed-voters-staying-home issue isn't about plugged-in people like me stamping my feet and declaring that I am so mad that I won't vote, it's about that great mass of people who generally see voting as an optional activity. Turnout varies, and off-year turnout is significantly lower (roughly 40% in 2006 versus 60% in 2008). In an ideal world everyone would vote all the time, but they don't, so voter enthusiasm is one thing politicians have to deal with.
