Swiss federal election, 1872

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The 48 electoral districts

Federal elections were held in Switzerland on 27 October 1872. The Radical Left remained the largest group in the National Council.^[1]

Electoral system

The 135 members of the National Council were elected in 48 single- and multi-member constituencies using a three-round system. Candidates had to receive a majority in the first or second round to be elected; if it went to a third round, only a plurality was required. Voters could cast as many votes as there were seats in their constituency.^[2] For the first time the National Council was directly-elected in its entirity; in previous elections the cantons of Appenzell Innerrhoden, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Glarus, Nidwalden, Obwalden and Uri had their National Council members elected by the Landsgemeinde.^[2] However, an electoral law passed in 1872 required secret voting for federal elections and a polling station to be opened in every municipality in order to avoid manipulation in the open Landsgemeinde.^[3] The electoral law also changed the calculation of a candidate's majority from including valid and invalid votes to only valid votes.^[4]

There was one seat for every 20,000 citizens, with seats allocated to cantons in proportion to their population.^[2] Following the 1869 elections the number of seats was increased from 128 to 137, with the members now elected from 48 constituencies, increased from 47. Bern gained two seats, whilst Fribourg, Neuchâtel, Solothurn, St Gallen and Zürich gained one each.

Results

Voter turnout was highest in the Canton of Uri at 91.3% (higher than the 75.2% who voted in Schaffhausen, where voting was compulsory) and lowest in Schwyz at 39.8%.

Party	Votes	%	Seats	+/–
Radical Left		35.2	60	+4
Catholic Right		25.6	30	+7
Liberal Centre		21.1	27	–4
Democratic Group		12.5	15	0
Evangelical Right		4.1	3	0
Independents		1.5	0	0
Total	392,843	100	135	+7
Registered voters/turnout	632,901	62.1	–	–
Source: BFS

References

↑ Elections to the National Council 1848–1917: Distribution of seats by party or political orientation BFS
1 2 3 Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p1886 ISBN 9783832956097
↑ Nohlen & Stöver, p1887
↑ Nohlen & Stöver, pp1886–1887

Elections and referendums in Switzerland

Parliamentary elections	1848 1851 1854 1857 1860 1863 1866 1869 1872 1875 1878 1881 1884 1887 1890 1893 1896 1899 1902 1905 1908 1911 1914 1917 1919 1922 1925 1928 1931 1935 1939 1943 1947 1951 1955 1959 1963 1967 1971 1975 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015

Referendums	1798 1802 1848 1866 1872 1874 1875 1876 1877 1879 1880 1882 1884 1885 1887 1889 1890 1891 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1900 1902 1903 1905 1906 1907 1908 1910 1912 1913 1914 1915 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1933 1934 1935 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

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