Proclamation 4142—National Voter Registration Month

As we continually work to construct a better and better Nation, America has no need of sidewalk superintendents.

And any person who is qualified to vote, but who does not register to vote, can be little more than a sidewalk superintendent standing apart from the vital project of building national progress in the challenging era of the 1970s.

In recent years, Federal and State governments have taken historic actions to extend the voting privilege to more and more of our citizens, including those between 18 and 21 years of age.

All of these efforts to broaden the base of the American constituency—in order to insure continuing national political vitality and accurate representation—will have been in vain, however, if the newly eligible voters do not activate their newly won voting rights by registering according to the laws of the States.

There is no place for apathy in an America facing the momentous challenges and opportunities of the era of the 1970s. The Nation needs the talents and the energies of each and every citizen, and it needs all their votes on election day.

I am convinced that nationwide, non-partisan voter registration campaigns could substantially reduce the number of qualified citizens who will be barred from voting in the forthcoming general elections by reason of failure to comply with election registration laws.

Now, Therefore, I, Richard Nixon, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim September, 1972, as National Voter Registration Month, and I urge the Governors, and election officials of the several States, together with other officials, candidates for public office, and political parties and organizations, to institute nonpartisan campaigns designed to achieve the registration of as many qualified citizens as possible prior to the forth-coming elections.

I also urge all interested citizens and all civic and educational organizations to participate in voter registration campaigns and to take all appropriate steps to assure maximum registration of qualified voters.

Finally, I urge our newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals, our television and radio stations and networks, and all other news media to publicize and promote voter registration drives and the importance of voter registration.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this thirteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred seventy-two, and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred ninety-seventh.

RICHARD NIXON