1896 Swiss federal election

Federal elections were held in Switzerland on 25 October 1896. The Free Democratic Party retained its majority in the National Council.^[1]

Electoral system

The 147 members of the National Council were elected in 52 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

Voter turnout was highest in Nidwalden at 90.3% (higher than the 89.3% in Schaffhausen where voting was compulsory) and lowest in Obwalden at 21.4%.



Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Free Democratic Party	181,028	48.73	86	+12
	Catholic People's Party	85,484	23.01	30	+1
	Liberal Centre	54,012	14.54	23	–4
	Democratic Group	19,946	5.37	7	–9
	Social Democratic Party	25,304	6.81	1	0
	Others	5,750	1.55	0	0
Total		371,524	100.00	147	0

Valid votes		371,524	93.29
Invalid/blank votes		26,701	6.71
Total votes		398,225	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		713,367	55.82
Source: Mackie & Rose,^[3] BFS (seats)

By constituency

Constituency	Seats		Seats won	Elected members
Zürich 1	6	Free Democratic Party	3	Johann Jakob Amsler Ulrich Meister Jr. Johann Jakob Schäppi
		Liberal Centre	2	Hans Konrad Pestalozzi Konrad Cramer
		Democratic Group	1	Jakob Vogelsanger
Zürich 2	4	Liberal Centre	3	Johann Jakob Abegg Heinrich Berchtold Hans Wunderli
Zürich 2	4	Free Democratic Party	1	Heinrich Hess
Zürich 3	4	Free Democratic Party	3	Rudolf Geilinger Emil Stadler Sr. Ludwig Forrer
Zürich 3	4	Democratic Group	1	Albert Kündig
Zürich 4	3	Free Democratic Party	2	Heinrich Kern Johannes Moser
Zürich 4	3	Liberal Centre	1	Heinrich Steinemann
Bern 5	5	Free Democratic Party	5	Matthäus Zurbuchen Arnold Gottlieb Bühler Johann Jakob Rebmann Franz Neuhaus Eduard Ruchti
Bern 6	5	Free Democratic Party	4	Johann Jenny Johann Hirter Theodor Sourbeck Friedrich Bürgi
Bern 6	5	Evangelical Right	1	Edmund von Steiger
Bern 7	4	Free Democratic Party	4	Adolf Müller Fritz Bühlmann Gottfried Joost Gottlieb Berger
Bern 8	4	Free Democratic Party	4	Emil Moser Hans Dinkelmann Gottfried Bangerter Johann Rudolf Steinhauer
Bern 9	4	Free Democratic Party	4	Eduard Bähler Eduard Marti Johannes Zimmermann Jakob Freiburghaus
Bern 10	3	Free Democratic Party	3	Virgile Rossel Joseph Stockmar Albert Gobat
Bern 11	2	Catholic Right	2	Casimir Folletête Joseph-Auguste Boinay
Lucerne 12	2	Free Democratic Party	2	Hermann Heller Friedrich Degen
Lucerne 13	3	Catholic Right	3	Josef Erni Candid Hochstrasser Theodor Schmid
Lucerne 14	2	Catholic Right	2	Dominik Fellmann Josef Anton Schobinger
Uri 15	1	Catholic Right	1	Franz Schmid
Schwyz 16	3	Catholic Right	3	Josef Anton Ferdinand Büeler Vital Schwander Sr. Nikolaus Benziger
Obwalden 17	1	Catholic Right	1	Peter Anton Ming
Nidwalden 18	1	Catholic Right	1	Karl Niederberger
Glarus 19	2	Democratic Group	1	Kaspar Schindler
Glarus 19	2	Free Democratic Party	1	Rudolf Gallati
Zug 20	1	Free Democratic Party	1	Klemens Iten
Fribourg 21	2	Liberal Centre	1	Henri Schaller
Fribourg 21	2	Free Democratic Party	1	Constant Dinichert
Fribourg 22	2	Catholic Right	2	Paul Aeby Louis de Wuilleret
Fribourg 23	2	Catholic Right	2	Louis Grand Alphonse Théraulaz
Solothurn 24	4	Free Democratic Party	3	Joseph Gisi Wilhelm Vigier Albert Brosi
Solothurn 24	4	Catholic Right	1	Joseph Anton Glutz
Basel-Stadt 25	4	Free Democratic Party	2	Ernst Brenner Hermann Kinkelin
		Liberal Centre	1	Isaak Iselin-Sarasin
		Social Democratic Party	1	Eugen Wullschleger
Basel-Landschaft 26	3	Free Democratic Party	2	Johannes Suter Jakob Buser
Basel-Landschaft 26	3	Bauern- und Arbeiterbund	1	Walter Meyer
Schaffhausen 27	2	Free Democratic Party	2	Wilhelm Joos Robert Grieshaber
Appenzell Ausserrhoden 28	3	Free Democratic Party	3	Johann Konrad Eisenhut Johann Conrad Sonderegger Johann Jakob Sonderegger
Appenzell Innerhoden 29	1	Liberal Centre	1	Karl Justin Sonderegger
St. Gallen 30	2	Democratic Group	1	J. A. Scherrer-Füllemann
St. Gallen 30	2	Free Democratic Party	1	Karl Emil Wild
St. Gallen 31	2	Catholic Right	1	Johann Gebhard Lutz
St. Gallen 31	2	Liberal Centre	1	Christoph Tobler
St. Gallen 32	2	Catholic Right	2	Wilhelm Good Johann Baptist Schubiger
St. Gallen 33	3	Free Democratic Party	2	Johann Georg Berlinger Carl Hilty
St. Gallen 33	3	Democratic Group	1	Carl Theodor Curti
St. Gallen 34	2	Catholic Right	2	Johann Joseph Keel Othmar Staub
Grisons 35	2	Liberal Centre	1	Peter Theophil Bühler
Grisons 35	2	Democratic Group	1	Matthäus Risch
Grisons 36	2	Catholic Right	1	Caspar Decurtins
Grisons 36	2	Liberal Centre	1	Alfred von Planta
Grisons 37	1	Liberal Centre	1	Thomas von Albertini
Aargau 38	3	Free Democratic Party	3	Arnold Künzli Erwin Kurz Jakob Lüthy
Aargau 39	3	Free Democratic Party	3	Olivier Zschokke Hans Müri Max Alphonse Erismann
Aargau 40	1	Catholic Right	1	Jakob Nietlispach
Aargau 41	3	Liberal Centre	2	Emil Albert Baldinger Albert Ursprung
Aargau 41	3	Free Democratic Party	1	Josef Jäger
Thurgau 42	5	Liberal Centre	3	Friedrich Heinrich Häberlin Karl Alfred Fehr Gustav Merkle
Thurgau 42	5	Free Democratic Party	2	Josef Anton Koch Adolf Germann
Ticino 43	2	Free Democratic Party	2	Achille Borella Romeo Manzoni
Ticino 44	4	Free Democratic Party	4	Filippo Rusconi Alfredo Pioda Cesare Bolla Demetrio Camuzzi
Vaud 45	5	Free Democratic Party	3	Charles-Eugène Fonjallaz Louis Chausson Émile Gaudard
Vaud 45	5	Liberal Centre	2	Charles Boiceau Paul Cérésole
Vaud 46	4	Free Democratic Party	4	Émile Paillard Jean Cavat Louis Déglon Adolphe Jordan
Vaud 47	3	Free Democratic Party	2	Juste Lagier Adrien Thélin
Vaud 47	3	Liberal Centre	1	Louis-Charles Delarageaz
Valais 48	2	Catholic Right	2	Alfred Perrig Gustav Loretan
Valais 49	1	Catholic Right	1	Joseph Kuntschen Sr.
Valais 50	2	Catholic Right	1	Henri Bioley
Valais 50	2	Free Democratic Party	1	Émile Gaillard
Neuchâtel 51	5	Free Democratic Party	4	Robert Comtesse Louis-Alexandre Martin Charles-Émile Tissot Alfred Jeanhenry
Neuchâtel 51	5	Liberal Centre	1	Jules Calame
Geneva 52	5	Free Democratic Party	4	Adrien Lachenal Henri Fazy Georges Favon Alfred Vincent
Geneva 52	5	Liberal Centre	1	Gustave Ador

Source: Gruner^[4]

References

^ Elections to the National Council 1848–1917: Distribution of seats by party or political orientation Archived 2015-09-23 at the Wayback Machine BFS
^ ^a ^b Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p1886 ISBN 9783832956097
^ Thomas T Mackie & Richard Rose (1991) The International Almanac of Electoral History, Macmillan
^ Gruner, Erich. Die Wahlen in den Schweizerischen Nationalrat 1848–1919. Vol. 3.

[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

[NS-2] Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p1886 ISBN 9783832956097

[3] Thomas T Mackie & Richard Rose (1991) The International Almanac of Electoral History, Macmillan

[:03-4] Gruner, Erich. Die Wahlen in den Schweizerischen Nationalrat 1848–1919. Vol. 3.

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