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From Charles Colson to the Staff Secretary. RE: P-1891 and P-1885; Young Voters. 3 pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], 11/2/1971
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WHSF: Contested, 49-47
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This file contains:
From Charles Colson to the Staff Secretary. RE: P-1891 and P-1885; Young Voters. 3 pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], 11/2/1971
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Richard M. Nixon's Returned Materials Collection
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Richard Nixon Presidential Library
Contested Materials Collection
Folder List
Box Number
Folder Number
Document Date
No Date
Subject
Document Type
Document Description
49
47
11/2/1971
Campaign
Memo
From Charles Colson to the Staff Secretary.
RE: P-1891 and P-1885; Young Voters. 3pgs.
Monday, June 04, 2012
Page 1 of 1
DOCUMENT WITHDRAWAL RECORD [NIXON PROJECT]
CUMENT
DOCUMENT
NUMBER
TYPE
SUBJECT/TITLE OR CORRESPONDENTS
DATE
RESTRICTION
NI
MEMO
From Cobson to Staff Secretary
11/2/71
C(NIXON)
[Doc*12]
Re: Voters P-1891 P-1885 young
From Peterson to RN
11/4/71
C(NIXON
N2
memo
[DOC#13]
Re: Draft kesposesse to Don
Kendall's Quota letter Opposing
FILE GROUP TITLE
POF
BOX NUMBER
14
Presidents FOLDER TITLE Handwriting RESTRICTION [nov. CODES / three 5, 1971
A. Release would violate a Federal statute or Agency Policy.
E. Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential commercial or
B. National security classified information.
financial information.
C. Pending or approved claim that release would violate an individual's
F. Release would disclose investigatory information compiled for law
rights.
enforcement purposes.
D. Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of privacy
G. Withdrawn and return private and personal material.
or a libel of a living person.
H. Withdrawn and returned non-historical material.
NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION
NA FORM 1421 (4-85)
Presidential Materials Review Board
Review on Contested Documents
Collection: President's Office Files
Box Number:
14
Folder:
President's Handwriting [November 1 thru 5, 1971]
Document
Disposition
12
Return Private/Political
13
Retain Open
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
November 2, 1971
THE PRESIDENT HAS SEEN
MEMORANDUM FOR: THE STAFF SECRETARY
FROM:
CHARLES W. COLSON
SUBJECT:
P-1891 and P-1885
Young Voters
Request
It was requested in Presidential Action Memorandum P-1891,
taken from the October 12, 1971 News Summary, to report the
true facts of the "bandwagon momentum" and to report on the
activities of our youth program, with the suggestion that we
concentrate on vote registration only in our areas and not stir
it up elsewhere.
It was also requested in Presidential Action Memorandum
P-1885, taken from the October 11, 1971 News Summary, to
comment on the youth registration rally in Boston, noting if
our efforts could top this.
Response
We are submitting the following report:
1.
Bandwagon Momentum
As shown in the attached memorandum from Jeb Magruder
to the Attorney General (Tab A), the Life article is ex-
tremely short on facts. It would be inaccurate to say there
was truly bandwagon momentum. Registration figures for
the new voter on a national level are still ranging from
10 to 15%.
This range is supported by other recent estimates. Esti-
mates on youth registration range from 12% (Youth Citizen-
ship Fund - October 19) to 20% (Newsweek - October 18).
Page 2 - The Staff Secretary
Based upon newsclippings, spot registrar checks, and
Party reports, the 10-15% range appears closer to the
truth.
In terms of party affiliations, the young voters (18-20)
appear to favor the Democrats by a ratio of approxi- -
mately 2:1 (a figure that is in tune with their parents
preferences). Such a ratio is likewise consistent with
Gallup public opinion polls:
April, 1971:
Rep.
Dem.
Ind.
16%
42%
42%
September, 1971:
Rep.
Dem.
Ind.
14%
35%
51%
October, 1971:
Rep.
Dem.
Ind.
18%
38%
42%
The most significant factor in the poll results has been
the high incidence of "Independent" responses. This same
level of independent preference has not shown up in regis-
tration figures which would substantiate the theory that the
vast portion of the independent or marginal young voters
have not yet bothered to register.
Mass-based, general registration programs have not been
instituted because, quite frankly, to do so would be politi-
cally injurious. At this time, neither the President nor
the Republican Party has the sufficient support of youth
that we can afford to play a numbers game with the Demo-
crats as a mass nonselective registration effort would ne-
cessitate. Consequently, we have undertaken a highly
selective approach in terms of where to go and who to reg- -
ister. By pursuing this course in priority counties in the
Page 3 - The Staff Secretary
Presidential target states, we will be able to maxi-
mize Nixon votes with a low risk in improving the po-
tential Democrat vote. These results can be properly
PR'd to generate a bandwagon momentum of our own.
2.
Youth Program
See attached monthly youth report.
3.
Boston Rally - - 536 Registered
We can top the Boston fiasco with efforts of our own in
various parts of the country and will. As you will note
in the attached monthly youth report, our selective reg-
istration efforts, which are planned in such a way to
maximize the yield of'Nixon voters", begin in various
communities in November. We will generate the neces-
sary positive publicity to highlight the comparison with
the Democrats Boston fiasco.
Attachments
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