Low voter turnout has affected the results of numerous elections across the country. Oregon gave its residents the choice to opt in instead of out when receiving government services, in the hopes of increasing voter turnout.

Voter turnout in the United States is far below that in most democracies. States and cities are trying a variety of ways to increase turnout, with mixed success. Eight states and Washington, D.C., are moving to automatic voter registration, for example, which is commonplace in nearly every other advanced democracy, and 32 states are debating instituting or expanding it. But not all registered voters are actually casting ballots.

Voter turnout is a problem around the world, especially in local elections and among minority groups. But a small group of academics and activists in the US are experimenting with a new way to encourage people to turn up to vote: a lottery. Every voter is entered and one lucky winner gets a big cash prize, eliminating the risk of bribery and bought votes.

In Takoma Park, Maryland, the voting age for local elections is 16. Lowering the age has increased turnout among youth—and studies show that the sooner people start to vote, the more likely they are to be lifetime voters.

Equal Voice Network looked at low voter turnout rates in El Paso and decided that just registering voters wasn’t enough. The coalition developed a creative way to increase education and engagement in local issues: a game. Votería is a play off of Lotería, a traditional Mexican pastime similar to bingo, with updated images and text explaining key current issues and political figures.

In Fairhill, a neighborhood in North Philadelphia, voter turnout was a mere 12% in one recent election. Fairhill Neighbors, a coalition of neighborhood groups, is seeking to combat lower turnout rates with a personal engagement program. “Voting Champions” are community members who will work to register voters, drive them to polls, and generate excitement about voting, with the hopes of transforming civic participation in their area.

The ALL IN challenge implores leaders at colleges across the United States to better incorporate civic engagement education into curriculum and use non-partisan tactics to encourage students to register to vote. The recent push is in part a response to the discouraging results published by Tufts University in 2014 - during that year's midterm election, only 12 percent of college students voted, and for the 2016 presidential election, less than half cast their vote.

Universities are using competitions, music, and prizes to encourage civic engagement among students. Efforts are aided by a national study that allows schools to see how many of their students voted either locally or absentee.

In Doña Ana County, New Mexico, boosting civic engagement is a priority. County Clerk Scott Krahling has tried several initiatives to do so, including hosting voter registration drives in schools, consolidating local elections, and implementing ranked choice voting. The clerk’s office also values community input. A nonpartisan advisory council and series of community meetings aim to ensure the community has a say in these civic engagement initiatives.

Having young people sign a voting pledge, and then reminding them that they signed, increased voter turnout on college campuses in Colorado and Pennsylvania in 2016. The approach was more effective than asking youth to sign up for a reminder to vote.

Know how to register to vote? In St. Paul, your landlord is required to tell you. The city passed the ordinance to keep voter turnout high as the number of renters grew.