To my horror nd consternation I learn that many people do not bother voting. Some citizens never have. So that's how a 35% prez can win?

Politics in America creates horror and consternation in the hearts of people. Despite that, I haven't missed any election, primary, special or general since I became old enough to vote. I really don't follow the reasoning in your percentages, your math seems a bit skewered to me. If this were a direct democracy with everyone that's currently running, appearing on the ballot in the general election, you might have a winner with thirty percent of the vote. I've beat the drum and carried the torch for voting for a lifetime. I come from a politically active family and I've found that there are many people who vote for strange or unusual reasons that have nothing to do with substance or policy positions. So be it. There are those who really don't know or understand the system,(not paying attention) therefore they don't understand the consequences of avoiding an election. Is there an importance to civic responsibility? Yep, but it's buried under a lot of ballyhoo, baloney, and entertainment as well as the old "shell game". Praise it all or condemn it all, it's still the best thing going. Unless, you like it the way the communists approached it, one party, one candidate with no reason for the rest making the trip to the polls. Of course, it's one way of polling high percentages.