I think you bring up a fair point as a steemian for almost 2 years I really couldn’t care less about voting for witnesses which is sad! I’ve voted for some who have spoken to me directly or I used services they have built and appreciate their contributions to network
I do think that a more active witness section with more oversight is required like for example a witness page where we can see all a witness has done! Almost like an advertisement page where you can compare everything see activity and make your own decisions
I also like your idea of vote reminders that should notify you to check your votes or that your vote is for someone who has been inactive for a certain period of time