On August 7, 1971, Vice-President Nguyen Cao Ky announced in a press conference that he still maintained his decision to run for election.
On August 20, 1971, while the Duong Van Minh-Ho Van Minh slate distributed what it called Top Secret documents revealing the Government's intention to rig the election, it also announced its decision to withdraw from the race, and submitted to the Supreme Court an application to that effect.