With pretty much everyone -- including most CEOs -- agreeing that executive compensation is out of control and corporate governance in America is pretty much a joke, you'd hope that shareholders would take one opportunity they have each year -- proxy season -- to let their voices be heard.

Sadly, the New York Times DealBook reports that individual investor participation in proxy voting has plunged: "Of 92 firms that have held their annual meetings this season, the average participation among "retail" shareholders - individuals, as opposed to institutions - dropped more than 75 percent from the previous year, according to statistics from Broadridge Financial cited on RiskMetrics' Risk & Governance Blog."

The drop is probably largely attributable to a recent SEC rule change that allows companies to use "e-proxies," forcing shareholders online to cast their vote.

There's no question that, in time, proxy voting will be conducted online exclusively. But obviously that time has not yet come.

In the meantime, there's still no excuse for not voting your shares each year -- if only so you have the right to complain about what a mess the shareholder democracy is.