There is another approach to this problem, which I am partial to (probably because it is in use in my country): you make voting in whatever election/referendum/etc MANDATORY. Voting is not only a right, it is a duty.
When you reach 18, you have to register as a voter (no party affiliation declared - you can register with a party as a member if you want to vote in their internal elections). In every election, the fact you voted is registered and you get proof of having voted. If you didn't, you have to present a medical certificate of illness, proof of having been outside the country, or something similar; if you don't, you get hit with a significant fine and until it is paid any interaction with public services is severely curtailed.
Of course, this requires facilitating the vote: every election is held on a sunday which is also declared a holiday, and polling places are plentiful (on registering you declare your address and are assigned a polling place near your home; that can be changed as needed; you can also vote in different one in case of necessity) and well staffed by public servants (who get extra free days for this overtime). People who have to work on sunday anyway HAVE to get free time to go to the polls; since the process is streamlined, it rarely is a long wait.
The advantages are clear: people are encouraged to get involved, there are no vote suppression issues, and there isn't any issues with low showing at polls so the winner does not have a mandate.
When you reach 18, you have to register as a voter (no party affiliation declared - you can register with a party as a member if you want to vote in their internal elections). In every election, the fact you voted is registered and you get proof of having voted. If you didn't, you have to present a medical certificate of illness, proof of having been outside the country, or something similar; if you don't, you get hit with a significant fine and until it is paid any interaction with public services is severely curtailed.
Of course, this requires facilitating the vote: every election is held on a sunday which is also declared a holiday, and polling places are plentiful (on registering you declare your address and are assigned a polling place near your home; that can be changed as needed; you can also vote in different one in case of necessity) and well staffed by public servants (who get extra free days for this overtime). People who have to work on sunday anyway HAVE to get free time to go to the polls; since the process is streamlined, it rarely is a long wait.
The advantages are clear: people are encouraged to get involved, there are no vote suppression issues, and there isn't any issues with low showing at polls so the winner does not have a mandate.