Drifting back on topic, I'm not reflexively in favor of anything that increases voter turnout. We need informed voters in whatever quantity we can get them. We don't need people voting who don't take the time to learn anything about the candidates and just pick the ones they've heard of before. People like me who are only known in a remote corner of FT would have absolutely no chance in a name recognition contest.
IMHO, there's a lot of common sense and wisdom in this statement.
As for the name recognition factor, I think many of us are guilty of just picking any old handle when we first registered for FT.
I know I planned to log-on, ask one question and disappear forever.
If I'd known I'd be around as long as I have, I might have chosen a handle that sounded like a hot sauce.