To register for voting and electing

As a general rule, each Swiss citizen established abroad is obliged to register with one of our diplomatic or consular representations abroad. A Swiss living abroad must always satisfy two conditions for registration: he or she must have Swiss citizenship and not have a residence in Switzerland.

Once registered with the official Swiss representation, you can also make an application with a view to exercising your political rights. In this case, you will have to renew your registration directly with your polling commune every four years. To do this, you simply fill in the form regularly sent to you by your polling commune. If you do not do this, your polling commune will be compelled to strike your name off the electoral register. However, you can send in a new request at any time.

If you move to another address abroad, whether it is within the same consular district or whether you leave your original consular district permanently, you must inform the representation to enable its staff to inform your polling commune of your change of address at least six weeks before the next vote or election takes place.

 

Swiss expatriates living in the Principality of Liechtenstein must get in touch with the Cantonal Passport Bureau in Saint-Gall or with the Swiss Association of Liechtenstein. The necessary application form is also available there. The Passport Bureau in Saint-GaIl then takes on the function of Swiss representation and is therefore also empowered to transmit the registration to the polling commune and, if necessary, to other communes of origin.

  

Polling commune

Through an official Swiss representation, you take part in elections or vote on federal matters in a polling commune in Switzerland where your vote will be taken into account. You can designate the polling commune of your choice, either one of your communes of origin or a commune where you once lived.

 

Moreover, the revised text of the law gives cantons the possibility of creating a central cantonal service. This service takes on the duties of different polling communes (keeping the electoral register, dispatching the polling material, counting your vote, etc.) In this case, your vote is then counted in with those of the commune where the central service is based.

 

Dispatch of polling material

Official electoral material is sent directly by mail to registered voters at their address abroad, without transiting via the Swiss representation. Voter must then return their ballot to the polling commune at their own expense. Bearing in mind that the Confederation cannot be held responsible for the efficiency of foreign postal services, Swiss expatriates have to accept the risk of delayed delivery of the polling material abroad as well as possible late arrival of the ballot at the polling commune in Switzerland.

 

Dual nationals

A dual national is able to elect and vote on federal matters in the same way as a person with only Swiss citizenship. Nevertheless, we would like to draw your attention to the fact that in certain countries voting abroad leads to the loss of that country's citizenship.

 

Registration

Do you wish to register for the exercise of your political rights? Please fill in the application form for the exercise of your right to vote in Switzerland and hand it in to the Swiss representation (embassy or consulate) where you are matriculated.

 

Register now