A poster advocating for Pfandler’s initiative to reorganize the National Council.
Referenda in Switzerland were held on January 25 and May 3, 1942 [1] . The January referendum was a civic initiative to introduce direct elections to the Federal Council and increase the number of seats on the Council [2] . The initiative was rejected by voters. The May referendum was held on a civil initiative to reorganize the National Council . The initiative was organized by the head of the Independent Alliance, the liberal politician Otto Pfandler, and dealt with the problem of the absence of deputies during the voting in the National Council. The initiative was rejected. [1] .
Election System
Both referenda were civic initiatives and demanded a double majority for approval: voters and cantons [3] .
Results
January: On Direct Elections to the Federal Council
| The choice | General vote | Cantons | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Full | Half- | Total | |
| Behind | 251 605 | 32,4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vs | 524 127 | 67.6 | nineteen | 6 | 22 |
| Blank newsletters | 13 381 | - | - | - | - |
| Invalid Newsletters | 3 311 | - | - | - | - |
| Total | 792 424 | 100 | nineteen | 6 | 22 |
| Registered Voters / Turnout | 1,278,688 | 62.0 | - | - | - |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver | |||||
May: Reorganization of the National Council
| The choice | General vote | Cantons | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Full | Half- | Total | |
| Behind | 219 629 | 34.9 | 0 | one | 0.5 |
| Vs | 408,821 | 65.1 | nineteen | five | 21.5 |
| Blank newsletters | 30 543 | - | - | - | - |
| Invalid Newsletters | 1 825 | - | - | - | - |
| Total | 660 818 | 100 | nineteen | 6 | 22 |
| Registered Voters / Turnout | 1,283,487 | 51.5 | - | - | - |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver | |||||
Notes
- ↑ 1 2 Nohlen, D & Stöver, P (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook , p1912 ISBN 9783832956097
- ↑ Votation populaire du 01/25/1942 . www.admin.ch . Date of treatment October 17, 2015.
- ↑ Nohlen & Stöver, p1891