A

absolute majority; majority

Rule according to which a bill is passed or a candidate elected if the bill or candidate receives more than half of all the valid votes.

accumulating

In electoral constituencies that are allocated more than one seat in the National Council, entering the name of the same candidate twice on a ballot paper.

additional vote

Vote counted for a blank line on a ballot paper that contains fewer valid votes for candidates than the number of seats to be allocated in the constituency, which is given to the electoral list whose designation or reference number is entered on the ballo

advance voting

Voting on days before the polling day permitted by cantonal law, which allows the polling stations to open for a certain time or permits persons eligible to vote to hand in their ballot papers in a sealed envelope at a public office.

allocation of mandates; allotment of mandates

Allocation of National Council mandates among the parties.

allocation of seats; allotment of seats

Allocation of the seats of the National Council among the 26 cantons in proportion to the populations of the cantons, each canton having a minimum of one seat.

B

ballot box

Sealed box with a narrow slot in the top into which voters put completed ballot papers.

ballot paper

Official form on which the voter indicates whether he or she accepts or rejects a proposal submitted to the People.

ballot paper

Official form that voters must use in the elections to the National Council.

ballot; round of voting

Procedure for elections based on the first-past-the-post system, in which voters cast their votes, the result is ascertained immediately and, depending on the rules on the required majority, the procedure is repeated for as many rounds as are required for

bicameral system; two chamber system

Constitutional system in which parliament comprises two chambers, which was introduced in Switzerland on foundation of the Swiss federal state in 1848 based on the US constitutional system, and in which the larger chamber, the National Council, representi

blank ballot paper

Ballot paper that the voter has left completely unmarked and which thus clearly indicates the voter's intention to abstain.

by-election

Election that is held during the legislative period in the National Council or Council of States when a seat becomes vacant because the former incumbent was elected under the first-past-the-post system and no substitute is therefore available.

C

candidate

Person who stands for election and who satisfies the constitutional and legal requirements in order to do so.

candidate vote; personal vote

Vote that a candidate receives when his or her name is written on the ballot paper.

certificate of eligibility to vote

Document issued by the competent office confirming that the signatories to a request for a referendum, a popular initiative or an electoral list are eligible to vote on federal matters in the commune indicated on the signature list.

consociational democracy

Democracy in which all the important political parties are included in the decision-making process and are represented in the main political posts and in leading positions in the administration, armed forces and judiciary in approximate proportion to thei

constitutional referendum

Mandatory referendum required to approve any amendment to the Federal Constitution or a cantonal constitution.

Council of States; CS

Smaller chamber of the Federal Parliament (Federal Assembly), which is composed of 46 representatives of the cantons.

D

deciding question

Question put to voters in the case of an initiative with a direct counter-proposal asking which of the two proposals should become law in the event that both the People and the cantons approve both proposals.

deletion

Alteration of a ballot paper by the voter by crossing out the names of candidates appearing on the list.

direct counter-proposal

Draft amendment to the Federal Constitution that the Federal Assembly may make in response to a popular initiative, provided the draft relates to the same subject matter and answers the same question as the initiative, with the result that the People and

direct democracy

Democracy in which the participation of the People is not limited to electing the highest state bodies but in which voters may also determine whether and if so which specific issues should be submitted to a decision of the People.

direct election

Election directly by the People and not by already elected representatives.

double yes vote

Possibility for voters to approve both the popular initiative and the counterproposal put forward by the Federal Assembly.

E

election

Procedure by which the members of certain public bodies or other public offices are appointed based on the votes cast in their favour by those eligible to vote or by the members of an electoral body (e.g. the Federal Assembly or the Federal Council).

election based on proportional representation; election based on a system of proportional representation

Election in which the seats are allocated among the parties in proportion to the number of votes cast in their favour.

election based on the simple majority system; election based on the first-past-the-post system

Electoral system in which the seats to be allocated go to those obtaining either the most votes or more than half of the votes cast.

election to the Council of States

Election based mainly on the first-past-the-post system according to which the cantons elect their representatives to the Council of States.

election to the National Council; National Council election

Direct election by the People of the 200 members of the National Council based on a system of proportional representation.

election year

Year in which the general election to the National Council take place. EXP: A general election takes place every four years.

electoral commune

Commune in Switzerland in which a Swiss citizen living abroad exercises his or her political rights.

electoral list; list

List of candidates who are eligible for election, which has been examined and, if required, corrected by the relevant canton and by the Federal Chancellery and is printed on the ballot paper.

electoral procedure; voting procedure

Within an electoral system, the provisions that determine the way in which an election is conducted.

electoral register; electoral roll

Register of all persons eligible to vote within a commune.

electoral system

Collection of regulations and provisions that determines the manner in which elections are carried out.

electorate; the People; voters

All those who have the right to vote.

electorate; the People; voters

All those who have the right to vote for candidates in elections.

electronic ballot paper

Ballot paper a voter can complete using a special electronic voting system and then send via a data network to the office responsible for the vote.

electronic voting; e-voting

Form of voting where the voters are able to vote with the aid of a special electronic voting system by completing an electronic "ballot paper", which is then sent via a data network to the office responsible for the vote.

eligibility for election; right to be elected

The right of a citizen who has attained the age of majority to stand as a candidate for election (e.g. to the National Council, the Federal Council or the Federal Supreme Court).

elimination vote; run-off vote

Second round of an election based on the first-past-the-post system, decided by a relative majority and held if an insufficient number of candidates have achieved an absolute majority in the first round of voting.

executive power

According to the principle of the separation of powers, the power to implement the law made by parliament and to run the administration. EXP: In Switzerland, this power is exercised at federal level by the Federal Council, in the cantons by the cantonal c

exercising the right to vote

Participation in elections to the National Council and in federal popular votes, and signing popular initiatives and requests for referendums in federal matters.

explanatory statement; explanation from the Federal Council; explanatory pamphlet

Brief objective text from the Federal Council that accompanies the proposal submitted to a vote of the People and that sets out the views of important minorities and the opinions of parliament and the Federal Council and, in the case of popular initiative

F

federal act; FA

Act adopted by the Federal Assembly on the basis of an authorisation or mandate contained in the Federal Constitution or a proposal made by the People, the Parliament or the Federal Council, which is subject to a referendum and is normally unlimited in it

Federal Assembly; Federal Parliament; FA

Supreme legislative authority of the Confederation, which comprises two chambers of equal standing, the National Council and the Council of States.

Federal Chancellery; FCh

Staff office of the Federal Council, which is headed by the Federal Chancellor and acts as a hub between the government, the Federal Administration, the Federal Assembly and the public. EXP: The Federal Chancellery is responsible for planning, coordinatin

Federal Constitution of the Swiss Confederation; Swiss Federal Constitution; Federal Constitution; Cst.

Supreme legislative act of the Confederation that forms the legal foundation for all other legislation and for the federal structure of the state, and which regulates the fundamental rights and duties of citizens and of the entire population as well as th

Federal Council; FC

Supreme governing and executive authority (Government) of the Swiss Confederation, which is composed of seven members who are elected by the United Federal Assembly.

federal decree; FedD

Enactment of the Federal Assembly that is subject to a compulsory or, depending on its importance, an optional referendum, even though it contains no legal provisions. EXP: The «simple federal decree» is not subject to a referendum.

federal popular vote

Popular vote in which, in contrast to Federal Assembly votes, all Swiss citizens participate and which, in contrast to cantonal votes, is organised at a federal level.

Federal Supreme Court; FSC

Supreme judicial authority of the Confederation, which has ultimate jurisdiction in almost every legal field and is responsible for ensuring the uniform application of federal law as well as protecting the constitutional rights of citizens.

free voting procedures; voting freedom; electoral and voting freedom

Guarantee that the result of an election or vote reliably and truly expresses the free will of the voters.

fundamental right; basic right

Inalienable right granted by the state to everyone, which, irrespective of the nationality of a person, is guaranteed by the Constitution or by international conventions in order to protect basic ways and necessities of life.

G

general election

Election held every four years to appoint the entire National Council and in practice, with the exception of the canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden, the Council of States, in which the current members may be re-elected.

I

indirect counter-proposal

Counter proposal to a popular initiative or legislative bill that is closely related in its subject matter to the popular initiative.

initiative

Generic term for various procedures by which a pre-determined minimum number of Swiss citizens who are eligible to vote may make a request in the form of a general proposal or of a specific draft of the provisions that an amendment be made to the Constitu

initiative committee

Group of persons who have authored a popular initiative, all of whom must be eligible to vote.

J

judicial power

According to the principle of the separation of powers, the power to interpret and apply the law. EXP: In Switzerland, judicial power is exercised at federal level by the Federal Supreme Court and the federal courts of first instance (Federal Administrati

L

legislative initiative

Popular initiative by which voters begin the legislative procedure by submitting a draft bill to the parliament of the canton. EXP: The popular initiative at federal level was rejected in a national referendum in 2009.

legislative power

According to the principle of the separation of powers, the power to make laws. EXP: In Switzerland, this power is exercised at federal level by the Federal Assembly, in the cantons, by the cantonal parliaments, and in the communes by the communal assembl

list combination

Merger of lists that is initially treated as a single list during the allocation of mandate, thus giving the parties involved improved prospects of obtaining an additional mandate.

list of candidates; candidate list

List of persons who are being proposed as candidates in the election to the National Council, which must be signed by a minimum number of persons eligible to vote and submitted to the competent cantonal authority.

list sub-combination

List combination at a subsidiary level in which individual partners within a combined list join together in order to pool their votes and thus to improve their prospects in comparison with other combined list partners when the mandates are allocated.

M

magic formula

Formula (2 – 2 – 2 – 1) used for the first time in 1959 (and until 2008) for the allocation of the seven seats in the Federal Council, which is based on the number of seats held by the parties in the Federal Assembly and which guarantees a degree of polit

majoritarian democracy; competitive democracy

Parliamentary democracy in which one or more governing parties together hold the majority and carry out their policies, disregarding the view of the minority opposition.

majority of the cantons

Number of votes of the Cantons that is required for a proposal to be accepted, whereby the result of the popular vote in a canton counts as that canton's vote.

majority of votes; majority; majority of voters; majority of those who vote

In an election or popular vote, depending on the applicable system, either more than half of the valid votes cast (an absolute majority) or the highest number of votes cast (relative majority).

mandatory referendum

Popular vote that must be held if the Federal Assembly decides to carry out a total or partial revision of the Federal Constitution, to join an organisation for collective security or a supranational community, or to introduce emergency federal legislatio

minimum voting age

Age from which citizens may participate in votes and elections and launch and sign popular initiatives and referendums.

multiple candidacy

Candidacy in which the candidate appears on more than one candidate list in a constituency or on an electoral list or candidate list in more than one canton.

N

National Council; NC

Larger chamber of the Federal Parliament (Federal Assembly), which is composed of 200 representatives of the Swiss people.

national language

Language that is an essential element of the culture of a state and which is accordingly recognised and used by law. EXP: The national languages of Switzerland are German, French, Italian and Romansh.

O

official language

Language used for communication between authorities and between the authorities and the public. EXP: The official languages in Switzerland are German, French and Italian, and Romansh for communication between the authorities and persons who speak Romansh.

official voting envelope; ballot envelope

Envelope in which the completed ballot paper is placed when voting by post.

official voting papers

Documents required to cast a valid vote.

optional referendum

Popular vote that is held if requested by 50,000 voters or eight cantons on a new or amended federal act, a decree, or certain international treaties. EXP: The referendum bill is approved if a majority of those voting vote in favour of it.

P

parliamentary group

Group comprising at least five members of the same party or of parties holding similar views from one or both chambers of the Federal Assembly whose task is to discuss parliamentary business in advance in order to agree on a common line to take on the mat

party vote

Every candidate and additional vote that is cast for a single list.

perioda da legislatura; perioda legislativa

En general: Durada d'uffizi d'in parlament sco assamblea legislativa, suenter la quala han lieu elecziuns per la renovaziun totala. Confederaziun: Durada dal mandat dal Cussegl naziunal che cumenza cun la sesida constitutiva a l’entschatta da la sessiun d

petition

Written submission that requires no particular form which any person may send to a competent authority and which may contain a proposal, a criticism or a request in relation to any state activity. EXP: The federal authorities must acknowledge a petition,

political domicile

Commune in which a person eligible to vote is resident and registered to vote.

political party; party

Permanent association of persons under private law whose members pursue common political aims in accordance with the party constitution and/or manifesto.

political rights

Rights that make it possible for the People to participate directly in the decisions on matters of substance and the appointment of personnel made by the political entities of a state (at federal, cantonal, and communal level). EXP: In Switzerland in fede

polling calendar

Schedule in which the annually recurring probable dates for the holding of popular votes, as appointed by an ordinance of the Federal Council, are indicated.

polling card; voter identification card

Document sent to each voter before an election or vote, which must be produced if voting at the polling station or placed in the reply envelope if voting by post.

popular decision; decision of the People

Decision on a specific issue made by voters in a popular vote.

popular election; election by the People

Election in which the electorate consists of all those who are eligible to vote and not a body (e.g. Parliament) that has been appointed by the electorate.

popular initiative

Request submitted by a minimum of 100,000 voters to undertake a complete revision of the Federal Constitution or to adopt, repeal or amend a provision of the Constitution.

popular initiative with a direct counter-proposal

Popular initiative in which the initiative proposal and an alternative amendment to the Constitution proposed by parliament are voted on at the same time.

popular majority; majority of those voting

Number of votes corresponding to a majority of the valid votes cast by those eligible to vote, which is required for the adoption of a proposal submitted to a vote of the People.

popular referendum

Optional referendum that is held if the People, i. e. a minimum of 50,000 voters, request a vote in order to approve or reject federal acts, federal decrees or international treaties of unlimited duration that may not be terminated or treaties containing

popular request

Request for new legislation or a change in existing or planned legislation made by collecting signatures with the aim of forcing a popular vote. EXP: For example, a popular initiative (initiative request) or optional referendum (referendum request).

popular vote; popular ballot

Procedure by which persons eligible to do so are called on to vote on matters placed before them by virtue of a mandatory or optional referendum or a popular initiative (in certain cases accompanied by a counter-proposal from the Federal Assembly).

postal voting

Method of voting in which voters send their ballot papers to the office responsible for the vote and are not required to go to the polling station in order to vote.

President of the Swiss Confederation; President of the Confederation

Person elected by the United Federal Assembly from the members of the Federal Council for a term of office of one year, who chairs the sessions of the Federal Council and carries out special ceremonial duties.

proposal submitted to the vote of the People; proposal submitted to the People

Text that is submitted in written form to the vote of the People by the Federal Assembly in a referendum or popular initiative.
EXP: The text may concern a constitutional amendment, a legislative act or an international treaty.

Q

qualified majority; supermajority

Rule according to which a bill is passed or a candidate elected if the bill or candidate receives not only more than half of the votes cast (an absolute majority) but also a pre-determined additional percentage of votes.

R

referendum on a state treaty

Referendum that is optional if it is held on international treaties of unlimited duration that may not be terminated or treaties containing important legislative provisions, and mandatory when it is held on the accession to supranational communities or or

referendum on federal matters; federal referendum; referendum

Popular vote by Swiss voters on Federal Assembly legislation, total or partial revisions of the Federal Constitution, international treaties or agreements on accession to international organisations.

referendum requested by the cantons

Optional referendum normally initiated by cantonal parliaments (or in certain cantons, the cantonal council or a cantonal request for a referendum), which is held when a minimum of eight cantons request a popular vote on a federal act, federal decree or i

relative majority; majority; plurality; simple majority

Rule according to which a bill is passed or a candidate elected if the bill or the candidate receives the higher number of votes regardless of the voter turnout or share of votes received in comparison with the total number of votes cast.

report on the vote; report from the polling station

Report prepared at every polling station and sent to the cantonal government, which details the total number of persons eligible to vote and the number of Swiss citizens resident abroad who are eligible to vote, the total number of voters, the total number of blank, invalid and valid ballot papers, and the number of votes cast in favour of and against the proposal.

representative democracy; indirect democracy; parliamentary democracy

Democracy in which the participation of the People is limited to the election of members of parliament.

right to elect; right to vote; right to vote in elections

At federal level, the right of citizens who have attained the age of majority to elect the 200 members of the National Council and the 46 members of the Council of States.

right to participate in elections

Right of citizens who have attained the age of majority to participate in the elections to the National Council as voters (right to elect) or to stand as candidates for election (right to be elected). EXP: Anyone who has the right to participate in electi

right to vote

Right of citizens who have attained the age of majority to participate in elections to the National Council and in popular votes, and to sign a popular initiative or referendum request. EXP: In English, the term "right to vote" covers both parti

S

Scopo e obiettivo della procedura di corapporto

separation of powers

Principle according to which an excess of power is avoided by allocating power to three state authorities with different functions that are independent of each other and which supervise and limit each others' powers: the legislature, the executive and the

signature collection; collection of signatures

Collection on a signature list of a given number of signatures of Swiss citizens with the right to vote which is made by the authors of a popular request and which is required for a popular initiative or referendum to be requested successfully. EXP: For a

signature list

Table drawn on a sheet of paper or card into which signatures are entered that are being collected in support of a popular request

sovereign

The supreme political authority in a state. EXP: In Switzerland, the People are sovereign.

splitting the vote; vote-splitting

In electoral constituencies that are allocated more than one seat in the National Council, entering names by hand on a pre-printed ballot paper of candidates from other lists pertaining to the same constituency and, if necessary, deleting the names of can

substitute; replacement candidate; substitute candidate

Non-elected candidate from the same electoral list as a member of the National Council, who is declared by the cantonal government to be elected in place of the member of the National Council if he or she ceases to be a member before completing his or her

supplementary election

Election that is held when there are more seats to be allocated at an election to the National Council than there are candidates to fill them, or when a seat becomes vacant in the National Council without there being a substitute available to fill it.

T

tacit election

Electoral procedure at cantonal level in which the cantonal government declares all the persons named on the electoral lists for the National Council to be elected because the lists do not contain more candidates than there are mandates (seats) to be allo

teller

Member of the National Council or of the Council of States who determines the results of elections and votes of the Council or a person who is eligible to vote who counts the votes at the polling station.

term of office

Fixed period for which a person or a body is elected or appointed to exercise a public or private function.

turnout

Number of persons who exercise their right to participate in an election, expressed as a percentage of those eligible to vote.

U

uncompleted ballot paper

Ballot paper that the voter has left completely unmarked and which thus clearly indicates the voter's intention to abstain or on which he or she has scored out all the details relating to the list designation or the candidates.

United Federal Assembly; United Chambers of the Federal Assembly

Assembly of the two chambers of the Federal Parliament in a single meeting chaired by the President of the National Council, which is convened primarily for elections (of members of the Federal Council, the Federal Chancellor, judges of the federal courts

universal suffrage; general right to vote and be elected

Right held equally by all Swiss citizens over the age of 18 to participate in popular votes, launch or sign initiatives or requests for referendums, and to vote or stand as a candidate for state bodies, unless they are under the full supervision of a welfare advocate due to mental illness or mental deficiency and thus permanently lack the required legal capacity.

V

vote

Procedure by which a group of persons who are eligible to vote may accept or reject a proposal made by one or more persons or an authority.

vote

Indication that a person gives orally (e.g. by shouting out), in writing (e.g. by completing a ballot paper), using an electronic voting system, or by making a gesture (e.g. by raising a hand) or some other movement (e.g. standing up) in order to approve

vote électronique; e-voting

Swiss form of voting which enables voters to vote on-line and permits authorities to send out information on elections and votes on-line.

voter

Person who exercises his/her right to vote in an election.

voter turnout

Number of persons who exercise their right to participate in a ballot, expressed as a percentage of those eligible to vote.

voter; eligible voter; person eligible to vote

Person who has the right to vote.

voter; eligible voter; person eligible to vote in elections

Person who has the right to vote for candidates in elections. EXP: Anyone who has the right to participate in elections also has the right to participate in popular votes, and to sign a popular initiative or referendum request.

voting at the polling station

Voting procedure by which the voter places his ballot paper in the ballot box at the polling station.

voting by agent

Method of voting in which the ballot paper is completed by the voter but placed in the ballot box on behalf of the voter by another person.

voting by persons with disabilities

Exercise of the right to vote by persons who, due to a disability or some other reason, are permanently incapable of carrying out the procedures required for voting and may therefore call on the assistance of another person or use other aids to overcome t

voting recommendation

Recommendation made by the Federal Assembly as to whether the People and the cantons should accept or reject an initiative.

voting recommendation

Recommendation issued by a political party, a parliamentary group or another group with regard to a forthcoming popular vote.

W

women's right to vote; voting rights for women; women's suffrage

Right of female Swiss citizens to participate in votes and elections, which was introduced at federal level following a popular vote on 7 February 1971.