1878 Swiss federal election

Last updated

The 48 electoral districts Wahlkreise 1872-1878.png
The 48 electoral districts

Federal elections were held in Switzerland on 27 October 1878. The Radical Left remained the largest group in the National Council. [1]

Contents

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] There was one seat for every 20,000 citizens, with seats allocated to cantons in proportion to their population. [2]

Results

National Council

Voter turnout was highest in Schaffhausen (where voting was compulsory) at 95.1% and lowest in Schwyz at 26.7%.

CN1878 diagramme.png
PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Radical Left34.857–6
Catholic Right26.337+4
Liberal Centre23.226+6
Democratic Group 9.410–5
Evangelical Right5.15+3
Socialists0.200
Independents1.000
Total1350
Total votes360,542
Registered voters/turnout634,08056.86
Source: BFS (seats)

By constituency

ConstituencySeatsPartySeats
won
Elected members
Zürich 15Liberal Centre5
Zürich 23Liberal Centre2
  • Johann Jakob Hasler
  • Heinrich Landis
Democratic Group 1Johann Jakob Keller
Zürich 33 Democratic Group 3
Zürich 43 Democratic Group 3
Bern 55Radical Left5
  • Jakob Scherz
  • Carl Samuel Zyro
  • Friedrich Seiler
  • Johannes Ritschard
  • Wilhelm Teuscher
Bern 64Radical Left3
  • Rudolf Rohr
  • Rudolf Brunner
  • Friedrich von Werdt
Evangelical Right1 Otto von Büren
Bern 74Radical Left4
Bern 84Radical Left4
  • Johann Bützberger
  • Alexander Bucher
  • Rudolf Leuenberger
  • Albert Friedrich Born
Bern 93Radical Left3
Bern 105Radical Left3
  • Hippolyte Paulet
  • Niklaus Kaiser
  • Auguste-Adolphe Klaye
Evangelical Right2
  • Abraham Boivin
  • Albert Morel
Lucerne 112Liberal Centre1 Josef Martin Knüsel
Radical Left1Josef Vonmatt
Lucerne 121Catholic Right1Alois Räber
Lucerne 132Catholic Right2
  • Josef Erni
  • Vinzenz Fischer
Lucerne 142Catholic Right2
  • Philipp Anton von Segesser
  • Franz Xaver Beck
Uri 151Catholic Right1Josef Arnold
Schwyz 162Catholic Right2
  • Ambros Eberle
  • Fridolin Holdener
Obwalden 171Catholic Right1 Nicolaus Hermann
Nidwalden 181Catholic Right1Robert Durrer
Glarus 192Radical Left1Niklaus Tschudi
Liberal Centre1Esajas Zweifel
Zug 201Catholic Right1Niklaus Moos
Fribourg 213Catholic Right3
  • Louis de Weck
  • Laurent Chaney
  • Arthur Techtermann
Fribourg 223Catholic Right3
  • Joseph Jaquet
  • Louis Grand
  • Louis de Wuilleret
Solothurn 234Radical Left3
Liberal Centre1 Bernhard Hammer
Basel-Stadt 242Radical Left1 Karl Burckhardt-Iselin
Liberal Centre1Johann Rudolf Geigy-Merian
Basel-Landschaft 253Radical Left3
  • Jakob Bernhard Graf
  • Gédéon Thommen
  • Emil Frey
Schaffhausen 262 Democratic Group 1Wilhelm Joos
Radical Left1Robert Grieshaber
Appenzell Ausserrhoden 272Radical Left1Johann Fässler
Liberal Centre1Daniel Hofstetter
Appenzell Innerhoden 281Catholic Right1Alois Broger
St. Gallen 294Liberal Centre2
Catholic Right1Johann Gebhard Lutz
Evangelical Right1Carl von Gonzenbach
St. Gallen 303Liberal Centre1Rudolf Hilty
Catholic Right1Wilhelm Good
Radical Left1Johann Baptist Gaudy
St. Gallen 313Catholic Right2
Liberal Centre1Johann Rudolf Moser
Grisons 322Evangelical Right1Hermann J. von Sprecher
Radical Left1Johann Gaudenz von Salis
Grisons 332Radical Left1Anton Steinhauser
Catholic Right1Johann R. von Toggenburg
Grisons 341Liberal Centre1 Andreas Rudolf von Planta
Aargau 353Liberal Centre2
Radical Left1 Arnold Künzli
Aargau 364Radical Left3
  • Peter Suter
  • Robert Straub
  • Hans Riniker
Liberal Centre1Johann Rohr
Aargau 373Catholic Right2
  • Karl von Schmid
  • Emil Albert Baldinger
Liberal Centre1 Emil Welti
Thurgau 385 Democratic Group 3
Radical Left1Friedrich Heinrich Häberlin
Liberal Centre1Johann Messmer
Ticino 393Catholic Right3
  • Massimiliano Magatti
  • Bernardino Lurati
  • Erennio Spinelli
Ticino 403Catholic Right3
  • Michele Pedrazzini
  • Carlo Vonmentlen
  • Agostino Gatti
Vaud 414Liberal Centre2
  • Charles Boiceau
  • Aymon de Gingins
Radical Left2
Vaud 424Radical Left4
  • Paul Wulliémoz
  • Georges-Louis Contesse
  • Paul André
  • Frédéric Criblet
Vaud 433Radical Left3
  • Louis-Henri Delarageaz
  • Charles Baud
  • Théodore du Plessis
Valais 442Catholic Right2
  • Hans Anton von Roten
  • Victor de Chastonay
Valais 451Catholic Right1Ferdinand de Montheys
Valais 462Catholic Right2
  • Charles de Werra
  • Fidèle Joris
Neuchâtel 475Radical Left5
  • Jules Philippin
  • Louis-Alexandre Martin
  • Arnold Grosjean
  • Charles-Alfred Petitpierre
  • Louis Constant Lambelet
Geneva 484Liberal Centre4
  • Arthur Chenevière
  • Gustave-Jules Pictet
  • François-Isaac Mayor
  • Carl Vogt
Source: Gruner [3]

Council of States

PartySeats+/–
Catholic Right17+1
Radical Left110
Liberal Centre11+2
Democratic Left2–2
Evangelical Right00
Independents2–1
Vacant10
Total440
Source: The Federal Assembly

References

  1. Elections to the National Council 1848–1917: Distribution of seats by party or political orientation Archived 2015-09-23 at the Wayback Machine BFS
  2. 1 2 Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p1886 ISBN   9783832956097
  3. Gruner, Erich. Die Wahlen in den Schweizerischen Nationalrat 1848–1919. Vol. 3.