[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 189 (Thursday, September 29, 2016)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 67089-67090]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-23779]



[[Page 67087]]

Vol. 81

Thursday,

No. 189

September 29, 2016

Part III





The President





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Proclamation 9503--National Voter Registration Day, 2016
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  Federal Register / Vol. 81 , No. 189 / Thursday, September 29, 2016 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 67089]]

                Proclamation 9503 of September 26, 2016

                
National Voter Registration Day, 2016

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                One of the most fundamental and sacred rights of any 
                democracy is the right to vote; in order for our 
                government to function effectively and respond to the 
                needs of our people, all citizens can and must play a 
                role in shaping it. Each year on National Voter 
                Registration Day, we reaffirm the strong sense of civic 
                pride among our people and encourage friends, family 
                members, and neighbors to get involved in civic life by 
                registering to vote.

                Democracy is not a spectator sport. If we are serious 
                about improving our country and ensuring our government 
                reflects our values, we cannot afford to sit out on 
                Election Day. Unfortunately, among those who are 
                eligible to vote, too many choose not to--far too many 
                people disenfranchise themselves by not getting 
                involved. When we do not take full advantage of the 
                right to vote, we not only give away our voice; our 
                power; our ability to shape the future of the country 
                we love--we also do a disservice to the generations of 
                Americans before us who risked everything, including 
                their lives, to protect this fundamental aspect of our 
                Republic.

                Our brand of democracy is hard, and it requires our 
                citizens to be able to fully participate in a smooth 
                and effective way. Through a bipartisan, independent 
                commission dedicated to improving the voting process, 
                we are working to ensure our democracy and our 
                elections function the way they are supposed to. 
                Whether through strengthening mechanisms that allow 
                more people to vote--such as online registration--or 
                going door-to-door to register voters in our 
                communities, we must make registering to vote easier. 
                By protecting and expanding this right, we can ensure 
                this grand experiment in self-government works for more 
                Americans. For more information on how to register to 
                vote, visit www.VOTE.USA.gov.

                It is easy to feel frustrated when the pace of change 
                is slow--and to lose hope in the political process as a 
                result. But we cannot give in to that cynicism. Heroic 
                things happen when people get involved. Our government 
                is only as strong as what we put into it, and it is 
                only reflective of the will of our citizenry when we 
                exercise our right to vote. Today, as we once again 
                celebrate National Voter Registration Day, let us carry 
                forward the tradition of promoting voter registration 
                and civic engagement, recommit to exercising one of the 
                most precious of our democratic rights, and remember 
                that the task of perfecting our Union belongs to us 
                all.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the 
                United States of America, by virtue of the authority 
                vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the 
                United States, do hereby proclaim September 27, 2016, 
                as National Voter Registration Day. I call upon all 
                Americans to observe this day by ensuring they are 
                registered to vote.

[[Page 67090]]

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                twenty-sixth day of September, in the year of our Lord 
                two thousand sixteen, and of the Independence of the 
                United States of America the two hundred and forty-
                first.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2016-23779
Filed 9-28-16; 11:15 am]
Billing code 3295-F6-P