Most cantons (ZH, BE, LU, SZ, ZG, FR, SO, BS, BL, SH, SG, GR, AG, TG, TI, VD, VS, NE, GE, JU) have more than one seat in the National Council. The elections are organised according to the proportional system of representation.

In these cantons, the seats (mandates) are first allocated to the electoral lists and then to individual candidates.

The procedures are as follows:

Allocation of seats among the lists

Each canton is entitled to a certain number of seats in the National Council. The more residents a canton has, the more National Council members it has.

Seats in the National Council are first divided among the lists in proportion to the total number of votes each list has received: lists with more votes receive more seats.

Note that parties or candidate groups can create list combinations and sub-combinations, which are first considered as a single list. This means that their votes are added together in order to improve their chance of obtaining a seat.

Allocation of seats to the various candidates on a list

Election winners can only be decided once it is clear how many seats each list is entitled to. The allocated number of seats are filled by the candidates who received the most votes in that particular list.

For example: if a list has been allocated three seats, the three candidates on that list who have received the most votes will be elected.

If one of the elected candidates gives up or does not want to assume their mandate, the first substitute candidate – the candidate with the highest number of votes who was not elected – will take their place.