Persons aged 18 and older
If you have Swiss citizenship, are at least 18 years of age and live in Switzerland, you can vote at federal, cantonal and communal level and also launch and sign referendums and initiatives.
Some people are excluded from voting because of a disability. The Federal Act on Political Rights specifies the conditions for this exclusion.
If you live in Switzerland, you do not need to register to vote: you will be added to the electoral register of your commune of residence as a matter of course as soon as you fulfil the conditions for being eligible to vote. Further information can be found on the ch.ch page Voting for the first time.
Minors
At the federal level, only people of age can vote, each canton is free to give minors voting rights at cantonal level. Currently Glarus is the only canton to allow 16- and 17-year-olds to vote at cantonal and communal level, but not to stand for election.
If you are a Swiss citizen abroad, you can vote at federal level.
If you wish to do so, you must
·register with the relevant Swiss representation to be registered on the Register of the Swiss abroad,
be registered on the electoral roll of your last commune of residence or, if you have never lived in Switzerland, in your place of origin.
If you are not registered to vote, you can fill in the form to apply to exercise political rights either online or at the embassy.
In some cantons, Swiss citizens abroad can vote at communal and cantonal level. Please contact the authority responsible in your canton for more information.
The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs provides a map of Switzerland showing voting rights of Swiss citizens living abroad in the different cantons.
Dual nationality has no effect on your voting rights. Dual nationals have the right to vote in elections and popular votes, like other Swiss citizens.
In Switzerland, foreign nationals do not have the right to vote at federal level. In some cantons and communes, they do have the right to vote in cantonal and communal ballots.
Ch.ch. helps you vote and elect for the first time.
Have a look at information on voting rights of Swiss citizens abroad on the website of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, which has an online application form for exercising political rights.
Contact details for the Swiss representations abroad can be found here.
Ch.ch provides a special portal on federal elections.