US midterms: Democrats target voters on Swiss trams and buses

A poster on a Basel tram urges people to vote in the US mid-term elections. Democrats Abroad Switzerland

US Democrats are seeking to mobilise American voters in Switzerland ahead of the November midterm elections, hoping a strong turnout will work in their favour.

“Are you a US citizen?” ask leaflets displayed on trams and buses in Basel and Geneva and posters in Zurich. They encourage Americans living in Switzerland to register to vote in their home state and cast a ballot in November.

The QR codes on the adverts link to non-partisan voter information websites. However, the campaign is run not by the US government but by Democrats Abroad, the Swiss arm of the Democratic Party.

“I’m lucky that most of my family and close friends in the US are Democrats or liberal,” says Liz Voss. Vera Leysinger / Swi Swissinfo.ch

Democrats hope more of the Americans they reach will support their candidates rather than the Republicans, President Donald Trump’s party. According to US federal figures, nearly 32,000 US citizens eligible to vote were living in Switzerland at the time of the last presidential election in 2024. About half hold dual citizenship.

Democrats Abroad has several thousand members in Switzerland, according to Liz Voss, president of its Basel chapter, although she declined to provide a precise figure.

>>Ahead of the 2024 US elections, we spoke to Liz Voss and Tariq Dennison, the representative of Republicans Overseas. Read our archived article here:

California and Texas are the home states of most Americans living in Switzerland. Most live in Basel, Geneva and Zurich, Voss said. “Many people from the US move to Basel, for example, to work in the pharmaceutical industry. They often come from Silicon Valley, northern California or New York and New Jersey.”

Democrats Abroad also canvassed for voters in Switzerland during the last midterm elections in 2022, aiming to boost Democratic representation in Congress. The pandemic had made in-person gatherings difficult and necessitated new approaches. “Large-scale advertising on public transport seemed to be the best use of our financial resources,” explains Voss.

Campaign driven by opposition to Trump

While Trump was central to the 2022 campaign, he has become a major factor since the 2024 US elections. “Many of us saw his possible return as an existential threat,” says Voss. He is now back in office. “Today, our commitment is very much shaped by the question of whether we can stop Trump’s political agenda.”

Adverts for the US Democratic Party can also be seen on buses in Geneva. Democrats Abroad Switzerland

The current campaign is expected to cost a low five-figure sum. Democrats Abroad is funded through donations and does not charge membership fees. The tram advertising was made possible by favourable seasonal rates offered by public transport operators.

The focus on public advertising also carries particular weight because new data protection regulations make paid political advertising on social media impossible. In addition to the posters, the campaign includes postcards sent to members.

Republicans Overseas did not respond to an enquiry by Swiss public broadcaster SRF about its activities in Switzerland.

>>Did you know that the United States and Switzerland are known as ‘sister republics’? Read our article here, which explains the historical background:

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 Translated from German, sub-edited by Alexandra MV Andrist/sb