1919 Swiss federal election

Federal elections were held in Switzerland on 26 October 1919.[1] The Free Democratic Party emerged as the largest party in the National Council, winning 60 of the 189 seats.[2]

1919 Swiss federal election
Switzerland
← 1917 26 October 1919 1922 →
National Council

All 189 seats in the National Council
Party Leader Vote % Seats +/–
Free Democrats Robert Schöpfer 28.85 60 −43
Social Democrats Gustav Müller 23.46 41 +21
Christian Democrats Joseph Räber 20.97 41 −1
Farmers, Traders and Independents Rudolf Minger 15.33 30 +26
Liberals 3.81 9 −3
Grütli Union 2.75 2 New
Democratic 1.96 4 −3
Evangelical People's 0.81 1 +1
Young Radicals 1 +1
This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.
Council of States

All 44 seats in the Council of States
Party Seats
Free Democrats

23
Christian Democrats

17
Liberals

2
Democratic

1
Farmers, Traders and Independents

1
This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.

Electoral system

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This was the first election after proportional representation was adopted.

The country was divided into 25 districts - 20 multiple-member districts, with as many as 32 seats, and five were single-member districts. In each, seats were allocated based on parties' vote tallies.

Every multi-member district saw multiple parties take seats. In some districts, no party took more than one seat.

Unlike the previous Plurality block voting system, each voter now had just one vote.

Switzerland used a system of apparentment, allowing parties to combine votes in the same district.

Results

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National Council

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PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Free Democratic Party215,56628.8560–43
Social Democratic Party175,29223.4641+21
Conservative People's Party156,70220.9741–1
Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents114,53715.3330+26
Liberal Democratic Party28,4973.819–3
Grütli Union20,5592.752New
Democratic Group14,6771.964–3
Evangelical People's Party6,0310.811+1
Young Radicals15,3422.051+1
Others0
Total747,203100.001890
Valid votes747,20398.24
Invalid/blank votes13,3971.76
Total votes760,600100.00
Registered voters/turnout946,27180.38
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

By constituency

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Constituency Seats Party Seats
won
Aargau 12 Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents 3
Conservative People's Party 3
Free Democratic Party 3
Social Democratic Party 3
Appenzell Ausserrhoden 3 Free Democratic Party 2
Social Democratic Party 1
Appenzell Innerrhoden 1 Conservative People's Party 1
Basel-Landschaft 4 Free Democratic Party 3
Social Democratic Party 1
Basel-Stadt 7 Social Democratic Party 3
Conservative People's Party 1
Free Democratic Party 1
Liberal Party 1
Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents 1
Bern 32 Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents 16
Social Democratic Party 9
Free Democratic Party 5
Conservative People's Party 1
Grütli Union 1
Fribourg 7 Conservative People's Party 6
Free Democratic Party 1
Geneva 8 Free Democratic Party 2
Liberal Party 2
Social Democratic Party 2
Conservative People's Party 1
Young Radicals 1
Glarus 2 Democratic Group 1
Free Democratic Party 1
Grisons 6 Free Democratic Party 3
Conservative People's Party 2
Social Democratic Party 1
Lucerne 8 Conservative People's Party 5
Free Democratic Party 3
Neuchâtel 7 Social Democratic Party 3
Free Democratic Party 2
Liberal Party 2
Nidwalden 1 Conservative People's Party 1
Obwalden 1 Conservative People's Party 1
Schaffhausen 2 Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents 2
Schwyz 3 Conservative People's Party 2
Free Democratic Party 1
Solothurn 6 Free Democratic Party 3
Social Democratic Party 2
Conservative People's Party 1
St. Gallen 15 Conservative People's Party 6
Free Democratic Party 5
Democratic Group 2
Social Democratic Party 2
Ticino 8 Free Democratic Party 4
Conservative People's Party 3
Social Democratic Party 1
Thurgau 7 Free Democratic Party 2
Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents 2
Conservative People's Party 1
Democratic Group 1
Social Democratic Party 1
Uri 1 Free Democratic Party 1
Vaud 16 Free Democratic Party 9
Liberal Party 4
Social Democratic Party 3
Valais 6 Conservative People's Party 5
Free Democratic Party 1
Zug 1 Free Democratic Party 1
Zürich 25 Social Democratic Party 9
Free Democratic Party 7
Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents 6
Conservative People's Party 1
Evangelical People's Party 1
Grütli Union 1
Source: Bundesamt für Statistik

Council of States

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In several cantons, the members of the Council of States were chosen by the cantonal parliaments.[3]

PartySeats
Free Democratic Party23
Swiss Conservative People's Party17
Liberal Democratic Party2
Democratic Group1
Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents1
Social Democratic Party0
Other parties0
Total44
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

By canton

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Constituency Seats Party Elected members
Aargau 2 Free Democratic Party Gottfried Keller
Free Democratic Party Peter Emil Isler
Appenzell Ausserrhoden 1 Free Democratic Party Johannes Baumann
Appenzell Innerrhoden 1 Conservative People's Party Johann Baptist Edmund Dähler
Basel-Landschaft 1 Free Democratic Party Gustav Johann Schneider
Basel-Stadt 1 Free Democratic Party Victor Emil Scherer
Bern 2 Free Democratic Party Paul Charmillot
Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents Carl Moser
Fribourg 2 Conservative People's Party Georges Python
Conservative People's Party Georges de Montenach
Geneva 2 Free Democratic Party Henri Fazy
Liberal Party Jacques Rutty
Glarus 2 Democratic Group David Legler
Free Democratic Party Philippe Mercier
Grisons 2 Free Democratic Party Andreas Laelys
Conservative People's Party Friedrich Brügger
Lucerne 2 Conservative People's Party Josef Dürig
Conservative People's Party Josef Winiger
Neuchâtel 2 Free Democratic Party Auguste Pettavel
Liberal Party Pierre de Meuron
Nidwalden 1 Conservative People's Party Jakob Konstantin Wyrsch
Obwalden 1 Conservative People's Party Adalbert Wirz
Schaffhausen 2 Free Democratic Party Albert Ammann
Free Democratic Party Heinrich Bolli
Schwyz 2 Conservative People's Party Martin Ochsner
Conservative People's Party Josef Räber
Solothurn 2 Free Democratic Party Casimir von Arx
Free Democratic Party Robert Schöpfer
St. Gallen 2 Free Democratic Party Johannes Geel
Conservative People's Party Anton August Messmer
Ticino 2 Free Democratic Party Stefano Gabuzzi
Free Democratic Party Adolfo Soldini
Thurgau 2 Free Democratic Party Alexander Otto Aepli
Free Democratic Party Albert Böhi
Uri 2 Conservative People's Party Karl Huber
Conservative People's Party Franz Muheim
Vaud 2 Free Democratic Party Émile Dind
Free Democratic Party Henri Simon
Valais 2 Conservative People's Party Joseph Ribordy
Conservative People's Party Julius Zen Ruffinen
Zug 2 Conservative People's Party Josef Andermatt
Conservative People's Party Josef Hildebrand
Zürich 2 Free Democratic Party Oskar Wettstein
Free Democratic Party Paul Usteri

References

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  1. ^ Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p1894 ISBN 9783832956097
  2. ^ Nohlen & Stöver, p1953
  3. ^ Nohlen & Stöver, p1956