Swiss embassies to deliver voting papers to some expats in trial
Keystone / Peter Klaunzer
Around 800 Swiss citizens living in Australia, Brazil and Thailand will receive their voting papers through their embassies as part of a trial to test how well the system works.
This content was published on
2 minutes
swissinfo.ch/ac
Português
pt
Embaixadas suíças entregarão documentos de votação em caráter experimental
The voting papers will be sent via diplomatic courier to the respective embassies and forwarded to voters via the local postal service. Only those eligible to vote in the cantons of Aargau, Ticino and Geneva will be part of the pilot project for the June 13 vote, said the government in an announcement on Friday.
Their experiences will be recorded via a survey and compared with a similar number of Swiss expats in these three countries who will receive their voting papers via international post as is the current norm.
“These voters will be asked when they received their voting papers and when they cast their votes. The cantons will also record when these votes cast abroad arrived at the polling stations in the communes concerned,” said the government.
The move comes after repeated complaints by the Swiss Abroad of disenfranchisement caused by delays in international post. The delays meant that some expats did not receive their voting papers early enough to be able to vote.
“A comparison of the two means of delivery should provide information on the effectiveness and cost of the alternative delivery method,” said the government.
The Organisation of the Swiss Abroad welcomed the pilot project but deemed it a transitional solution. In its view, e-voting remains the only way for all Swiss citizens to exercise their political rights correctly and on time.
Most Discussed
More
Debate
Hosted by:
Marc Leutenegger
What are your experiences with housing shortages and rising property prices?
Switzerland is steering towards a housing crisis. Are there solutions?
Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?
Eurostar is planning to run direct trains from Britain to Germany and Switzerland from the early 2030s. Would you favour the train over the plane? If not, why not?
Zurich arbitration authority rules in favour of tenants of ‘Sugus Houses’
This content was published on
A conciliation authority says the terminations of 105 flat leases in the so-called "Sugus Houses" in the centre of Zurich were abusive. The tenants therefore do not have to move out - at least for the time being.
This content was published on
Visitors to Switzerland spent CHF19.6 billion ($23.9 billion) last year, a 2.2% rise compared to the previous year, the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) said on Monday.
This content was published on
Despite the current tense economic situation, Swiss consumer sentiment remains positive. The Swiss spent more money in May than the previous year, particularly on restaurant visits and leisure activities, as shown by the latest figures released by PostFinance.
This content was published on
A bear killed four sheep in the Lower Engadine region near Scuol, canton Graubünden, last week. This was the first bear attack on local livestock in four years.
This content was published on
Experts believe that economic development in Switzerland will be weaker in 2026 than the forecasts made three months ago. They have also lowered their predictions for the current year.
This content was published on
Fewer people in Switzerland have a religious affiliation and the proportion who practice their religion regularly is steadily declining, a survey finds.
Study: trees have major cooling effect even in extreme heat
This content was published on
Plane trees in cities have an important cooling effect even in extreme heat, according to a new study by the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL).
EPFL launches digitised version of Battle of Murten panorama
This content was published on
To mark the anniversary of the Battle of Murten on 22 June 1476, the Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) has launched a website that offers the public an immersive experience of the huge panorama painting of the historic battle.
77th Swiss Gymnastics Festival praised for ‘positive energy’
This content was published on
The 77th Federal Gymnastics Festival drew to a close on Sunday in Lausanne, after eleven days of popular celebration and sporting performances.
This content was published on
The Swiss government plans to relaunch limited trials of electronic voting 18 months after suspending such schemes due to security flaws.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.